Air Marshal Pankaj M Sinha takes over as chief of IAF's Western Command

Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha on Sunday took charge as the commander-in-chief of Indian Air Force's Western Air Command that looks after the security of the air space in the sensitive Ladakh sector as well as some other parts of north India.

He succeeds Air Marshal S Prabhakaran who retired from service after serving the force for more than 39 years.

Air Marshal Sinha is a graduate of National Defence Academy, Pune, and was commissioned into the IAF as a fighter pilot in June 1985.

He is an alumnus of the prestigious Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.

An experienced fighter pilot and a category 'A' qualified flying instructor, Air Marshal Sinha has more than 4,500 hours of flying experience.

In his career spanning over 37 years, he has held several important command and staff appointments.

These included Commanding Officer of a fighter squadron, Chief Instructor (flying) at a flying station, Air Officer commanding of a prestigious Air Force station, Air Assistant to Chief of the Air Staff and Assistant Chief of Air Staff Operations (Offensive) at the Air headquarters.

He is the Commodore Commandant of a premier fighter squadron and was Director General Air Operations at the Air headquarters prior to taking over the present appointment, according to the IAF.

The officer is a recipient of 'Vishist Seva Medal' and 'Ati Vishist Seva Medal'.

The IAF's Western Command has been ramping up its surveillance and overall preparedness in eastern Ladakh in view of the lingering border row with China in the region.