Birender Singh Dhanoa

Early life and education

Singh was born in Gharuan village in SAS Nagar, Punjab. His father Sarayan Singh who was an IAS officer served as the Chief Secretary to the Punjab government & also in Bihar government during 1980s and later as an advisor to the Punjab state governor. His grandfather Capt Sant Singh had fought in World War II as a captain of the British Indian Army. He is an alumnus of the Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun and was graduated from National Defence Academy. He has also attended a staff course in Defence Services Staff College, Wellington in 1992.

Career

Dhanoa was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in June 1978. He has flown various types of fighter jets and is a qualified flying instructor. He has flown fighter aircraft across the spectrum including HJT-16 Kiran, MiG-21, SEPECAT Jaguar, MiG-29 and Su-30MKI. He held several key operational and administrative appointments in his 37 years of career including Director Targeting Cell at Air Headquarters, Director Fighter Operations & War Planning at Headquarters Western Air Command, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Intelligence) at Air Headquarters, Senior Air Staff Officer of Eastern & Western Air Command and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of South Western Air Command. He has held instructional appointments of Senior Air Instructor and Chief Air Instructor at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and leader of an Indian Air Force Training Team abroad.

Kargil Conflict

Dhanoa was Commanding Officer of a front line ground attack fighter squadron during the Kargil Conflict in 1999. Under his leadership the squadron devised innovative methods of night bombing at high altitudes which had never been attempted before. His squadron was adjudged the best fighter squadron of HQ WAC. He was awarded Yudh Seva Medal (YSM) and Vayu Sena Medal (VM) for his gallant actions in this conflict.

Before assuming the office of Vice of the Air Staff at Air HQ from Air Marshal Ravi Kant Sharma, PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC on 1 June 2015, he was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the South Western Air Command. Air Marshal RK Dhir succeeded him as the AOC-in-C of South Western Air Command. On 17 December 2016, Government of India designated Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa as Next Chief of Indian Air Force

Awards and medals

Dhanoa has been awarded several medals: the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (2016), the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (2015), the Yudh Seva Medal (1999), and the Vayu Sena Medal (1999). He was also appointed as Honorary ADC to the President of India on 1 August 2015

Personal life

He is married to Mrs. Kamalpreet and they have one son Jasman who is a law graduate.