Arup Raha: Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}

{{Use Indian English|date=May 2022}}

| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1954|12|26}}<ref>{{Cite news |date=31 December 2013 |title=Arup Raha takes over as IAF chief |work=[[The Times of India]] |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-12-31/india/45738689_1_iaf-chief-combat-development-establishment-air-marshal-arup-raha |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101204421/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-12-31/india/45738689_1_iaf-chief-combat-development-establishment-air-marshal-arup-raha |archive-date=1 January 2022}}</ref>

| rank                = [[File:Indian IAF OF-9.svg|25px]] [[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]]<ref name=thehindu1>{{cite news|title=Arup Raha takes over as IAF chief|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/arup-raha-takes-over-as-iaf-chief/article5522301.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=31 December 2013|location=Chennai, India|date=31 December 2022}}</ref>

[[Air Chief Marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]] '''Arup Raha''', [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal|PVSM]], [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal|AVSM]], [[Vayusena Medal|VM]], [[Aide-de-camp|ADC]], [[Doctor of Letters|D.Litt.]] ([[Honorary degree|honorary]]) ({{lang-bn|অরূপ রাহা}}) was the 21st [[Chief of Air Staff (India)|Chief of the Air Staff]] of the [[Indian Air Force]] and served from 31 December 2013 to 31 December 2016.<ref name=thehindu1>{{cite news|title=Arup Raha takes over as IAF chief|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/arup-raha-takes-over-as-iaf-chief/article5522301.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=31 December 2013|location=Chennai, India|date=31 December 2022}}</ref> He was also the [[Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee]], a post occupied by India's senior-most military officer, who advises the government and ensures jointsmanship in the armed forces.<ref name="Chairman of COSC">{{cite web|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/422782/arup-raha-chief-staff.html |title=Arup Raha is new chief of staff|work=Deccan Herald|access-date=30 July 2022}}</ref><ref name="toi1">{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-04-02/india/28120024_1_western-front-western-air-command-mig-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227063717/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-04-02/india/28120024_1_western-front-western-air-command-mig-29 |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 December 2013 |title=Arup Raha takes over as senior Air Staff Officer at WAC|date=2 April 2010 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=23 June 2022}}</ref>

Raha was born in a [[Bengalis|Bengali]] family on 26 December 1954 in the city of [[Baidyabati]], an area under the [[Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority]] which is in the Indian State of [[West Bengal]]. His father was a reputed [[Physician|doctor]]. He was educated at [[Sainik School Purulia]] (1970 batch).<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 October 2013 |title=Air Marshal Arup Raha to be IAF Chief |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/air-marshal-arup-raha-to-be-iaf-chief/1188816/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Jayanta Gupta|date=26 January 2012|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-01-26/kolkata/30666563_1_cadets-sainik-schools-ssb-interview |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104022527/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-01-26/kolkata/30666563_1_cadets-sainik-schools-ssb-interview |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 November 2013 |work=[[The Times of India]]|title=Sainik School in Purulia turns 50, Air Marshal to be chief guest|accessdate=23 June 2022}}</ref>

Raha has flown a wide variety of combat and trainer aircraft. After initial training on the [[HAL HT-2]], he has flown the [[MIG-21]] and [[MIG-29]] aircraft and has commanded a [[MiG-29]] fighter squadron and two frontline airbases along India's Western front. As on 2 April 2010, he had 3,400 hours of flying experience.<ref name="toi1"/> Raha previously served as the [[Vice Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Vice Chief of the Air Staff]] of the [[Indian Air Force]]<ref name="VCOAS">{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/air-marshal-arup-raha-to-take-over-as-iaf-vice-chief/article4866206.ece|title=Air Marshal Arup Raha to take over as IAF Vice Chief|accessdate=3 July 2022}}</ref> and as the [[Air officer commanding|Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief]] (AOC-in-C) of the [[Western Air Command]],<ref name="CAC"/> and that of the [[Central Air Command]].<ref name="toi1" /> He has also served as the Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters, Western Air Command and Deputy Commandant at [[Air Force Academy, Dundigul|Air Force Academy, Hyderabad]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://indianairforce.nic.in/show_page.php?pg_id=18 |title=Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha's official profile |access-date=18 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180217061546/http://indianairforce.nic.in/show_page.php?pg_id=18 |archive-date=17 February 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>