New Delhi, May 31 (ANI): Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik assumed office as the new chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF) here on Sunday. He succeeds Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major.

The ‘change of guard ceremony’ held in Air Headquarter was attended by all the Air Officers Commanding-in-chief of the seven commands of the IAF.

The new chief reviewed a ceremonial ‘guard of honour’ presented to him by a contingent of air warriors at the foyers of the Air Headquarters before assuming charge.

Naik, born on July 22, 1949 in Nagpur, is a graduate of Sainik School Satara, the National Defence Academy, the Defence Services Staff College and the National Defence College.

Commissioned on June 21, 1969, he has a long distinguished career in the IAF spanning 40 years wherein he has flown all MiG-21 variants and MiG-23-BNs.

He has held many important command and staff appointments. He was commanding a MiG-21 Bis squadron at Pathankot in Punjab. He was the chief operations officer at Air Force Station Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh.

He has also commanded Air Force bases in Srinagar and Bidar in Karnataka.

Apart from these, he has been a Directing Staff at the TACDE and the Air Combat Development Establishment as well as the Defence Services Staff College, as battalion commander at the National Defence Academy, Air-I of Western Air Command and air defence commander of South Western Air Command.

He is also a qualified flying instructor. He had been functioning as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff prior to taking over the Chief of Air Staff.

For distinguished service, Air Chief Marshal Naik was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) on January 26, 2003, and also appointed honorary ADC to the President in July 2007. (ANI)