Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh To Be Next IAF Chief

by Shambhu Datta Mishra

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Presently serving as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, he will succeed Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, who demits office September 30

Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh was commissioned into the fighter pilot stream of the Indian Air Force in December 1984

During his career, Air Marshal Singh has commanded an operational fighter squadron and a frontline air base

New Delhi, Sept 21: Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh, who has led the MiG-29 upgrade project team in Russia and been involved in flight-testing of Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, has been appointed the next chief of the Indian Air Force, an official statement said Saturday.

Presently serving as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, he will succeed Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, who demits office September 30.

Born on October 27, 1964, Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh was commissioned into the fighter pilot stream of the Indian Air Force in December 1984. During his long and distinguished service spanning nearly 40 years, he has served in a variety of command, staff, instructional, and foreign appointments.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, the Defence Services Staff College, and the National Defence College, he is a Qualified Flying Instructor and an Experimental Test Pilot with more than 5,000 hours of flying experience on a variety of both fixed and rotary-wing aircraft.

During his career, Air Marshal Singh has commanded an operational fighter squadron and a frontline air base.

As a test pilot, he led the MiG-29 Upgrade Project Management Team in Moscow. He was also the Project Director (Flight Test) at the National Flight Test Centre, where he was among, other things, tasked with flight testing of the Light Combat Aircraft.

Among his key staff appointments are serving as the Air Defence Commander at the South Western Air Command and Senior Air Staff Officer at the Eastern Air Command. Prior to assuming the charge of Vice Chief of the IAF, he was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command.

(IANS)

Read More Odisha News

Gujarat: 9 Members Of Family Attempt Suicide Over Unpaid Dues Of Rs 2.75 Crore

by Shambhu Datta Mishra

Rajkot, Sept 21: Nine members of the Soni family from the Kevdavadi area of Rajkot attempted mass suicide by consuming poison Saturday. The family members have been rushed to Civil Hospital for emergency treatment.

Reports said that the Soni family - jewellers by profession - took the extreme step after traders from Mumbai withheld Rs 2.75 crore for 22-carat gold jewellery they had supplied.

Despite repeated follow-ups over the last 11 months, the payment was not made. It is alleged that the traders not only failed to clear the dues but also issued threats to the family.

Police have launched an investigation into the case. They are examining the circumstances surrounding the family’s financial difficulties and recording statements from various individuals involved.

The family has named four individuals from Mumbai - Vijay Kailasji Rawal, Prashant, Mahendra, and others - as responsible for withholding the payment.

The condition of the family members deteriorated quickly after consuming the poison, and they were immediately shifted to a government hospital for treatment.

In a similar case in 2023, seven members of a family, including three children, were found dead in their apartment in Surat in what police suspect to be a case of mass suicide. The family, reportedly facing severe financial distress, left a note explaining their drastic step.

The bodies were discovered after neighbours detected a foul smell coming from the residence. When repeated knocks on the door went unanswered, the neighbours alerted the police.

Upon arrival, authorities found the lifeless bodies of the family members, including a contractor, his wife, his parents, and the couple’s three children, a six-year-old son and two daughters aged 10 and 13.

(IANS)

Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh To Be Next IAF Chief

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