Air Marshal Balakrishnan Manikantan took over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of Southern Air Command (SAC) on Monday. He was given a Guard of Honour at the SAC headquarters here.
An Alumnus of Sainik School, Kazhakuttam, and National Defence Academy, the Air Marshal was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on June 7, 1986. He has flown over 5,400 hours on various types of helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. He is a Helicopter Combat Leader and a Type Qualified Flying Instructor.
The Air Marshal has done instructional tenures at National Defence Academy and at Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE). He has commanded a frontline Helicopter Unit and two premier IAF stations. He has held the posts of Senior Air and Administrative Officer (SAASO) of HQ Maintenance Command and also served at HQ Integrated Defence Staff, responsible for international defence co-operation. He holds a PG Degree from Defence Services Staff College Wellington, MMS from College of Defence Management Secunderabad, and M.Phil from National Defence College, New Delhi. Prior to assuming the current appointment, he was the Senior Air Staff Officer at Eastern Air Command, handling air operations.
Air Marshal B. Manikantan hails from Kottayam. He is a recipient of Presidential Awards of Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vayu Sena Medal.
