Arup Raha

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Air Chief Marshal (Retd.)
Arup Raha
PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC
অরূপ রাহা
File:ACM Arup Raha.jpg
Official portrait, 2014
54th Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
In office
31 July 2014 – 31 December 2016
PresidentPranab Mukherjee
Preceded byBikram Singh
Succeeded bySunil Lanba
21st Chief of Air Staff
In office
31 December 2013 – 31 December 2016
PresidentPranab Mukherjee
Preceded byNorman Anil Kumar Browne
Succeeded byBirender Singh Dhanoa
37th Vice Chief of Air Staff
In office
1 July 2013 – 31 December 2013
PresidentPranab Mukherjee
Preceded byDinesh Chandra Kumaria
Succeeded byRavi Kant Sharma
Personal details
Born (1954-12-26) 26 December 1954 (age 71)[1]
Baidyabati, West Bengal, India
SpouseLily Raha
ChildrenAtanu Raha, Anusree Raha
Military service
Allegiance India
Branch/serviceFile:Air Force Ensign of India.svg Indian Air Force
Years of service1975–2016
RankFile:Indian IAF OF-9.svg Air Chief Marshal[2]
CommandsWestern Air Command
Central Air Command
AFS Bathinda
AFS Adampur
47 Squadron IAF
Battles/warsKargil War
Awards

Arup Raha, PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC, (Bengali: অরূপ রাহা) is an Indian Air Force veteran and was the 21st Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force and served from 31 December 2013 to 31 December 2016.[2] He was also the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, a post occupied by India's senior-most military officer, who advises the government and ensures jointsmanship in the armed forces.[4][5] Currently, he is the Chancellor of Assam University.

Early life and education

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Raha was born in a Bengali family on 26 December 1954 in the city of Baidyabati, West Bengal. His father was a doctor. He was educated at Sainik School Purulia (1970 batch).[6][7]

Military training

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Raha was trained at the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, India, from July 1970 to June 1973, and at the time of graduating from NDA in June 1973, he was awarded the Gold Medal for being the best cadet of the 44th NDA course. Subsequently, he did flying training on HT-2 and Kiran ( HJT-16 ) at the Air Force Academy, Hyderabad, before being commissioned into the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot in Dec 1974. After flying Hunters in Operational Conversion Unit, he went on to fly Mig -21 aircraft.

Military career

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Raha has flown a wide variety of combat and trainer aircraft. After initial training on the HAL HT-2, he has flown the MIG-21 and MIG-29 aircraft and has commanded a MiG-29 fighter squadron and two frontline airbases along India's Western front. As on 2 April 2010, he had 3,400 hours of flying experience.[5] Raha previously served as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force[8] and as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the Western Air Command,[3] and that of the Central Air Command.[5] He has also served as the Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters, Western Air Command and Deputy Commandant at Air Force Academy, Hyderabad.[9]

Raha has held many important staff appointments in India and abroad.

File:Air Chief calls on PM Modi on 3 June 2014 .jpg
Air Chief calls on PM

Notable appointments held

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Name of Appointment Rank Insignia Period
Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal File:Indian IAF OF-9.svg 31 December 2013 to 31 December 2016
Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal File:Indian IAF OF-8.svg 1 July 2013 to 31 Dec 2013
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Air Command of the IAF Air Marshal File:Indian IAF OF-8.svg 1 June 2012 to 30 June 2013
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command of the IAF Air Marshal File:Indian IAF OF-8.svg 2 Nov 2011 to 31 May 2012
Senior Air Staff Officer at Western Air Command Air Vice Marshal File:Indian IAF OF-7.svg till 1 Nov 2011
Directing Staff at Flying Instructors School,Tambaram Air Commodore File:Indian IAF OF-6.svg Unknown
Commanding Officer of No: 47 Squadron IAF Black Archers Wing Commander File:Indian IAF OF-4.svg 8 June 1992 to 5 June 1994

Personal life

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Arup Raha is married to Lily Raha and they have two children. The son, Atanu, is a commercial pilot who is married to Sanskriti Chatterjee Raha, a professional Kathakali dancer. The daughter, Anusree Raha, is an Indian Economic Service officer and a TEDx speaker, and is married to Bodhisattwa Biswas, an alumnus of Indian School of Business.[10][11]

Awards and decorations

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File:Param Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg File:Ati Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg File:Vayusena Medal ribbon.svg
File:IND Samanya Seva medal.svg File:IND Operation Parakram medal.svg File:IND Sainya Seva Medal Ribbon.svg File:IND Videsh Seva Medal Ribbon.svg
File:IND 50th Anniversary Independence medal.svg File:IND 30 Years Long Service Ribbon.svg File:IND 20YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg File:IND 9YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg
Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Vayu Sena Medal
Samanya Seva Medal Operation Parakram Medal Sainya Seva Medal Videsh Seva Medal
50th Anniversary of Independence Medal 30 Years Long Service Medal 20 Years Long Service Medal 9 Years Long Service Medal

In 2018, the state-run Sidho Kanho Birsha University awarded Arup Raha with an honorary D.Litt. degree during its convocation ceremony.[12]

References

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  10. ^ Indian Air Force [dead link]
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  12. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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