Air Marshal Rajesh Kumar,

PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) (IAST: ) is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then it is awarded in recognition to peace-time service of the most exceptional order and may be awarded posthumously. All ranks of the ...

, AVSM, VM,

ADC ADC may refer to: Science and medicine * ADC (gene), a human gene * AIDS dementia complex, neurological disorder associated with HIV and AIDS * Allyl diglycol carbonate or CR-39, a polymer * Antibody-drug conjugate, a type of anticancer treatment ...

is a former officer in the

Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...

. He last served as the Commander-in-Chief,

Strategic Forces Command The Strategic Forces Command (SFC), sometimes called Strategic Nuclear Command, forms part of India's Nuclear Command Authority (NCA). It is responsible for the management and administration of the country's tactical and strategic nuclear weap ...

. He assumed office on 31 January 2021 following the retirement of Air Marshal Navkaranjit Singh Dhillon. Previously he served as AOC-in-C in

Central Air Command ''Nigrahya Rasava shastrava'' , colors = , colors_label = , battles = 1962 Sino-Indian War, East Pakistan Operations 1971, Operation Meghdoot, Orissa Super-Cyclone Relief, 1999 , anniversaries = , commander1 = Air Marshal Amar Preet Sin ...

and SASO in Eastern Air Command. He superannuated on 31 August 2021.

Early life and education

Kumar is an alumnus of Mayo College, Ajmer and National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. He is a graduate from

Air Command and Staff College The Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate-level Professional Military Education (PME) school. It is a subordinate command of the Air Uni ...

at Montgomery, Alabama. He has also undergone the Higher Defence Management Course at the

College of Defence Management The College of Defence Management (CDM) is an Indian defence service training institution imparting management training to defence servants. CDM is entrusted with the responsibility of instilling contemporary management thoughts, concepts an ...

at Secunderabad.

Career

Kumar was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on 4 June 1982. He has commanded a fighter aircraft squadron and a front-line air base. He is a category A flying instructor, instrument rating instructor and an air crew examiner. His other appointments include team leader of project monitoring team for AWACS project in Israel, director of the Indian Air Force project management team at Aeronautical Development Agency, Bangalore and Senior Air Staff Officer of Eastern Air Command, Shillong.

Awards and medals

During 36 years of his career, Kumar has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2021,

Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) is a military award of India given to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the armed forces. The award is a peacetime equivalent of Uttam Yuddh Seva Medal, which is a Wartime Dis ...

in 2019, and the

Vayu Sena Medal The Vayu Sena Medal is a military decoration, usually awarded in peacetime for a job well done in the Indian Air Force. However, it has been granted during times of conflict for acts of gallantry in the face of enemy, though not in the same numb ...

for gallantry in

operation parakram Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...

Personal life

Rajesh Kumar is married to Jaya Kumar. They have 2 sons.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kumar, Rajesh Living people Indian Air Force air marshals Year of birth missing (living people) Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Recipients of the Vayu Sena Medal National Defence Academy (India) alumni Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal College of Defence Management alumni Commanders-in-Chief, Strategic Forces Command