Rank Air chief marshal Name Pradeep Naik | ||
Battles/wars Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Education Defence Services Staff College Battles and wars Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Awards Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal Similar People Deepak Kapoor, Sayeed Salahudeen, Amanullah Khan, Masood Azhar, Fazlur Rehman Khalil | ||
Years of service June 21, 1969 – 2012 | ||
Natural Enmity book launch by Pradeep Vasant Naik and Anant geete
Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik served as the 22nd Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force. He took office on 31 May 2009 following the retirement of Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major and was succeeded in office by Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne.
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Career
Air Chief Marshal Naik was born on 22 July 22 1949 at Nagpur, Maharashtra and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on June 21, 1969 as a fighter pilot. He is an alumnus of Sainik School, Satara and National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla in Maharashtra. During his 42 years of service, he has served in a variety of command staff and instructional appointments.
He has over 3,000 hrs of flying on his log. The Air Chief also took part in 1971 war air actions in the Eastern and Western sector. Before taking over as Chief of Air Staff, he was the Vice Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force. He has also served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Allahabad-based, Central Air Command.
Besides being a fellow of the National Defence College, New Delhi, he is a Qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader.He has served as Directing staff at DSSC Wellington, India and at Tactics & Air Combat Development Establishment( TACDE).
Personal life
Air Chief Marshal Naik and his wife Madhubala Naik have two sons; the elder was a fighter pilot with the Indian Air Force and later transferred to the transport stream, and the younger, a Chief Officer in the Merchant Navy.