Air Marshal D C Kumaria to take over as IAF vice-chief

In other important change, Air Marshal Arup Raha, who is currently commanding the Allahabad-based Central Air Command and is the likely successor of Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne, will replace Kumaria in the Western Air Command (WAC).

Kumaria, who at present is the Western Air Commander, was commissioned as a fighter pilot on July 2 1973 and is a graduate of Defence Services Staff College (DSSC).

He is a Qualified Weapon Instructor, having undergone the QWI course in the United Kingdom and a Fighter Combat Leader, who also served as a Directing Staff at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE).

Kumaria has held many important Field and Staff appointments in his career. He has been Assistant Advisor (Air) at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and has served as Defence Attache at the Indian Embassy in Italy with concurrent accreditation to the Iberian countries.

The Air Marshal was especially selected to write the Air Power Doctrine of the IAF in 1994.

Kumaria has commanded a frontline Jaguar Squadron specialising in maritime strike role as well as a fighter airbase. He has operational experience of flying all versions of MiG-21 and Jaguar aircraft.