Summary
Air Marshal Sreekumar Prabhakaran, AVSM, VM is a retired officer of the Indian Air Force. He is served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command. He assumed the office on 1 March 2022 and superannuated on 31 December 2022. Previously, he served as the Commandant of Air Force Academy, Dundigal.[2][3]
Sreekumar Prabhakaran | |
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| Born | Kannur, Kerala |
| Allegiance |  India |
| Service/ |  Indian Air Force |
| Years of service | 22 December 1983 - 31 December 2022[1] |
| Rank |  Air Marshal |
| Service number | 17318[1] |
| Unit | No. 45 Squadron |
| Commands held | Western Air Command Air Force Academy Surya Kiran |
| Awards | Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Vayu Sena Medal |
Early life and education edit
Sreekumar Prabhakaran is a native of Kannur, Kerala. He is a graduate of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and an alumnus of the prestigious National Defence Academy, Khadagwasla and National Defence College, New Delhi.[4][1][5]
Career edit
Sreekumar Prabhakaran was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force on 22 December 1983 from Air Force Academy, Dundigal. He has flying experience of over 4,800 hours on a variety of fighter aircraft and has commanded the venerable Surya Kiran display team.[6][1]
Sreekumar Prabhakaran has commanded the Surya Kiran display team and under him the team has participated in over 150 accident free public display. The team was awarded the Chief of Air Staff's Unit Citation under his command.[6][7]
With a long career of 37 years. He has served as senior directing staff (Air) at DSSC, Wellington and has commanded two flying bases. He also served as the Defence Attache at Cairo, Egypt from 2007 to 2010.[4][8]
He served as the Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) of South Western Air Command.[9] He also served as Director General (Flight Inspection & Safety)[1][10][11]
He assumed the charge of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command on 1 March 2022 succeeding Air Marshal Amit Dev.[12] He superannuated on 31 December 2022 and was succeeded by Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha.[13]
Honours and decorations edit
During his career, Sreekumar Prabhakaran has been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (VM) in 2005 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022.[14]
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| Ati Vishisht Seva Medal | Vayusena Medal |
References edit
- ^ a b c d e "Air Marshal Sreekumar Prabhakaran". Bharat Rakshak. 1 August 2021.
- ^ "AIR MARSHAL S PRABHAKARAN ASSUMES COMMAND OF IAF'S WESTERN AIR COMMAND" (Press release). PIB. 1 March 2022.
- ^ "Air Marshal Prabhakaran takes charge of IAF Academy | Hyderabad News - Times of India". The Times of India. TNN. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Air Marshal Sreekumar Prabhakaran VM takes over as senior Air Staff Officer HQ SWAC". Connect Gujarat. 6 November 2019.
- ^ "Kannur native takes over as chief of Western Air Command". The Hindu. 2 March 2022.
- ^ a b "CAW gets a new commandant". Hans India. 3 December 2014.
- ^ "Air Marshal Sandeep Singh takes over the command as AOC-in-C SWAC". Connect Gujarat. 1 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ "Sreekumar Prabhakaran to head college of Air Warfare". Deccan Chronicle. 2 December 2014.
- ^ Desk, Connect Gujarat (6 November 2019). "Air Marshal Sreekumar Prabhakaran VM takes over as senior Air Staff Officer HQ SWAC". connectgujarat.com. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
- ^ @PIBAhmedabad (6 November 2019). "Air Marshal Sreekumar Prabhakaran VM took over as the Senior Air Staff Officer of Headquarter South Western Air Command on 04 Nov 2019" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Training Command - BR". Bharat Rakshak. 1 August 2021.
- ^ "Air Marshal S Prabhakaran to take over as new Western Air Commander". ANI. 25 February 2022.
- ^ "AIR MARSHAL PANKAJ MOHAN SINHA ASSUMES COMMAND OF IAF'S WESTERN AIR COMMAND" (Press release). PIB. 1 January 2023.
- ^ "President approves 384 Gallantry Awards and other defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel on Republic Day". PIB. 25 January 2022.