View source for Arvindra Singh Butola

{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]]
| name          = Arvindra Singh Butola
| honorific_suffix = [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal|PVSM]], [[Vayusena Medal|VM]], [[Vishisht Seva Medal|VSM]]
| native_name   = 
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| image         = File:Air Marshal Arvindra Singh Butola, VM, VSM, Air Officer Commanding in Chief, Training Command, Indian Air Force.jpg
| image_size    = 150px
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| allegiance    = [[India]]
| branch        = [[Indian Air Force]]
| serviceyears  = June 1982 - 30 September 2020
| rank          = [[File:India-AirForce-OF-8-collected.svg|30px]] [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]]
| servicenumber = 16789<ref name="asb_br"/>
| unit          = 
| commands      = [[Training Command, Indian Air Force|Training Command]]
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| awards        =  [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]<br>[[Vayusena Medal]]<br>[[Vishisht Seva Medal]] 
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[[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] '''Arvindra Singh Butola''', [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal|PVSM]], [[Vayusena Medal|VM]], [[Vishisht Seva Medal|VSM]] is a retired officer of the [[Indian Air Force]]. He was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), [[Training Command, Indian Air Force|Training Command]], and assumed office on 14 October 2019 succeeding Air Marshal [[Surendra Kumar Ghotia]].<ref name="aocinc-tweet">{{cite tweet|user=Prodef_blr|number=1183716399564427264|title=Air Marshal Arvindra Singh Butola, Vayu Sena Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal took over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command today. He is an alumnus of NDA & was commissioned in the Helicopter stream of the IAF in June 1982.|date=2019-10-14}}</ref><ref name="AOCinC TC">{{cite web|url=https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/air-marshal-arvindra-singh-butola-assumes-charge-of-iaf-training-command20191014204737/|title=Air Marshal  Arvindra Singh Butola assumes charge of IAF Training Command|date=2019-10-14}}</ref> Air Marshal AS Butola superannuated on 30 September 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2020/sep/29/indian-air-force-to-see-major-reshuffle-at-top-levelonoctober-1-2203206.html|title=Indian Air Force to see major reshuffle at top level on October 1|publisher=New Indian Express|date=29 September 2020}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Butola graduated from [[National Defence Academy (India)|National Defence Academy]] Khadakwasla in May 1981. He is an alumnus of the [[Defence Services Staff College]], Wellington and the [[National Defence College (India)|National Defence College]], New Delhi.<ref name="afa-tweet"/><ref name="SASO-sainiksamachar">{{cite web|url=http://sainiksamachar.nic.in/englisharchives/2016/aug16-16/h20.htm|title=Appointments|date=2016-08-16|accessdate=2019-10-15}}</ref>

==Career==
Butola was commissioned as a helicopter pilot in the Indian Air Force in June 1982. He was a qualified flight instructor and had a flying experience of over 6700 hours on 21 different types of aircraft.<ref name="aocinc-tweet"/><ref name="SASO-sainiksamachar"/><ref name="asb_br">{{cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/16789|title=AS Butola BRF|publisher=Bharat-Rakshak|access-date=18 October 2020}}</ref>

He has commanded a helicopter unit in Jammu and Kashmir, and had also been senior flying instructor and advisor to [[Namibian Defence Force]]. His other appointments included chief test pilot at [[Hindustan Aeronautics Limited]], station commander of an air base under [[Western Air Command, Indian Air Force|Western Air Command]], senior officer-in-charge of administration of an operational command, as well as assistant chief of air staff operations (transport and helicopters) at air headquarters.<ref name="toi-afa"/><ref name="SASO-sainiksamachar"/>

Butola assumed office of Commandant [[Air Force Academy (India)|Air Force Academy]] on 4 September 2018 and served there till his appointment as AOC-in-C Training Command.<ref name="afa-tweet">{{cite tweet|user=dprohyd|number=1036910824772710401|title=Air Marshal Arvindra Singh Butola, Vayu Sena Medal, Vishist Seva Medal took over as Commandant of Air Force Academy, Dundigal today. Air Marshal Arvindra Singh Butola graduated from NDA, Khadakwasla in May 1981 and was commissioned in the Helicopter stream of #IAF in Jun 1982.|date=2018-09-04}}</ref><ref name="aocinc-tweet"/> Prior to Commandant of Air Force Academy, he served as Senior Air Staff Officer, [[Central Air Command, Indian Air Force|Central Air Command]], taking over on 1 August 2016.<ref name="toi-afa">{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/air-marshal-butola-takes-over-as-commandant-of-air-force-academy/articleshow/65674917.cms|title=Air Marshal Butola takes over as Commandant of Air Force Academy|date=2018-09-04}}</ref>

== Honours and decorations ==
During his career of 37 years, Butola has been awarded the Vayusena Medal (VM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) and the [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]] in 2021 for his service.<ref name="SASO-sainiksamachar"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1692363|title= President Shri Ram Nath Kovind approves 455 Gallantry & other defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel on Republic Day|publisher=PIB|date=25 January 2021}}</ref>

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

<!--== Personal life ==-->

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

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef| before = [[Surendra Kumar Ghotia]]}}
{{s-ttl| title = [[Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Training Command]]|years = 2019 - 2020}}
{{s-aft| after =  [[Rajiv Dayal Mathur]]}}
{{s-bef| before = [[Amit Tiwari (air marshal)|Amit Tiwari]]}}
{{s-ttl| title = [[Commandant of the Air Force Academy|Commandant]] – [[Air Force Academy (India)|Air Force Academy]] | years = 2018 - 2019}}
{{s-aft|after= [[Jonnalagedda Chalapati]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Butola, Arvindra Singh}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian Air Force air marshals]]
[[Category:National Defence Academy (India) alumni]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Vayu Sena Medal]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Vishisht Seva Medal]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:National Defence College, India alumni]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Uttarakhand]]
[[Category:Commandants of the Indian Air Force Academy]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]