Suraj Kumar Jha

2025-08-18T08:20:54Z

103.54.14.83:

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]]
| name = Suraj Kumar Jha
| honorific_suffix = [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal|PVSM]], [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal|AVSM]]
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| image = File:Air Marshal Suraj Kumar Jha.jpg
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| allegiance = {{Country|India}}
| branch = {{Air force|India}}
| serviceyears = 8 Jun 1984 – 31 August 2023<ref name="skj-br"/>
| rank = [[File:Indian IAF OF-8.svg|24px]] [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]]
| servicenumber = 17445<ref name="skj-br"/>
| unit = [[No. 7 Squadron IAF|No. 7 Squadron]]
| commands = Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel<br/> [[Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Deputy Chief of the Air Staff]]
| battles = [[Kargil War]]
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| awards = [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]<br/>[[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
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[[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] '''Suraj Kumar Jha''', [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal|PVSM]], [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal|AVSM]] is a retired officer in the [[Indian Air Force]] who last served as the Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel. He assumed the office on 1 August 2021 succeeding Air Marshal [[Richard John Duckworth]]. Previously, he served as [[Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Deputy Chief of the Air Staff]] at Air Headquarters Vayu Bhawan in [[New Delhi]] succeeding [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] [[Sandeep Singh (air marshal)|Sandeep Singh]].<ref name="skj-pib">{{cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1741973|title= AIR MARSHAL SURAJ KUMAR JHA AVSMASSUMES CHARGE AS AIR OFFICER IN CHARGE PERSONNEL|publisher=PIB|access-date=2021-08-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/air-marshal-suraj-kumar-jha-takes-over-as-air-officer-in-charge-personnel20210804021801/|title=Air Marshal Suraj Kumar Jha takes over as Air Officer in Charge Personnel|publisher=ANI|date=2021-08-04}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Suraj Kumar Jha was born in Madhubani, Bihar, on 15 August 1963. He joined [[Sainik School]] Tilaiya and from there he joined the [[National Defence Academy]].Right now in SKIT,jAIPUR working secretly There he was the all India UPSC topper in 1980. Suraj Kumar Jha is an alumnus of [[Defence Services Staff College]].<ref name="skj-br">{{cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/17445|title=Air Marshal Suraj Kumar Jha|publisher=Bharat Rakshak|access-date=2021-08-06}}</ref>

==Career==
Suraj Kumar Jha was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force on 8 June 1984. In a distinguish career spanning 37 years, he has flown a variety of fighter and trainer aircraft with more than 2900 hours of operational flying.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ddnews.gov.in/national/air-marshal-suraj-kumar-jha-assumes-charge-air-officer-charge-personnel|title=Air Marshal Suraj Kumar Jha assumes charge as Air Officer In Charge Personnel|publisher=DD News|date=2021-08-04}}</ref>

With a career of 37 years in the IAF, he was the commanding officer of a front line fighter aircraft squadron and a fighter base. As an [[Air vice marshal (India)|Air Vice Marshal]], he served as the Air Officer Commanding Advance Headquarters, was the Commandant of [[College of Air Warfare]], Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff. He is an alumnus of the [[Air Force Academy (India)|Air Force Academy]] and the [[Defence Services Staff College]], [[Wellington Cantonment|Wellington]].<ref name="saso-wac">{{cite web|url=https://www.defencestar.in/military/air-force/defence-news-india-air-marshal-rj-duckworth-takes-charge-of-crucial-air-command-at-pakistan-border/2599/|title= Air Marshal RJ Duckworth takes charge of crucial air command at Pakistan border |publisher=Defenstar|date=2019-12-16}}</ref>

== Honours and decorations ==
During his career, Suraj Kumar Jha was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2023, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2021 and was Mention-in-Despatches by [[Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Chief of the Air Staff]] in 1999 for his actions in [[Kargil War]].<ref name="skj-pib"/><ref name="pvsm">{{cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1893742|title= President approves 412 Gallantry awards and other defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel on Republic Day|publisher=PIB|date=2023-01-25}}</ref>

{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|{{Ribbon devices|ribbon=Param Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|ribbon=Ati Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}{{Succession box
| title = Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel
| years = 1 August 2021 – 31 August 2023
| before = [[Richard John Duckworth]]
| after = [[Nagesh Kapoor]]
}}{{Succession box
| title = [[Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Deputy Chief of the Air Staff]]
| years= 1 May 2021 – 31 July 2021
| before = [[Sandeep Singh (air marshal)|Sandeep Singh]]
| after = [[Narmdeshwar Tiwari]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jha, Suraj Kumar}}
[[Category:Indian Air Force air marshals]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Commandants of College of Air Warfare]]
[[Category:Defence Services Staff College alumni]]
[[Category:Deputy chiefs of Air Staff (India)]]

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Suraj Kumar Jha