Serzeqy at 14:21, 24 April 2026

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{{Short description|Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, India}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]]
| name = Balakrishnan Manikantan
| honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=IND|PVSM|AVSM|VM}}
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image = File:Air Marshal Balakrishnan Manikantan.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| office = Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, [[Central Air Command (India)|Central Air Command]]
| term_start = 1 May 2025
| term_end =
| predecessor = [[Ashutosh Dixit]]
| office1 = Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, [[Southern Air Command (India)|Southern Air Command]]
| term_start1 = 1 May 2023
| term_end1 = 30 April 2025
| predecessor1 = [[Jonnalagedda Chalapati]]
| successor1 = [[Manish Khanna (air marshal)|Manish Khanna]]
| birth_date = 
| death_date = 
| death_place =
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| nickname =
| birth_place = [[Kottayam]], [[Kerala]]
| allegiance = {{Country|India}}
| branch = {{Air force|India}}
| service_years = 7 June 1986 – Present
| rank = [[File:Indian IAF OF-8.svg|24px]] [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]]
| military_blank1 = [[Service number]]
| military_data1 = 18291<ref name="bmani-brf">{{cite web|url=https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/18291|title=Air Marshal Balakrishnan Manikantan - BRF|publisher=Bharat Rakshak|access-date=2023-05-01}}</ref>
| unit = [[No. 152 Helicopter Unit, IAF|No. 152 Helicopter Unit]]
| commands = [[Central Air Command (India)|Central Air Command]]<br>[[Southern Air Command (India)|Southern Air Command]]
| battles = [[Operation Meghdoot]]<br/> [[Operation Pawan]]
| battles_label =
| awards = [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]<br>[[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]] <br>[[Vayu Sena Medal]]
| spouse = [[Group captain (India)|Group Captain]] Nirmala Tutakne Manikantan
| relations =
| laterwork =
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| website =
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| alma_mater = [[Air Force Academy (India)|Air Force Academy]]
}}

[[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] '''Balakrishnan Manikantan''', [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal|PVSM]], [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal|AVSM]], [[Vayu Sena Medal|VM]] is an officer of the [[Indian Air Force]]. He is currently serving as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), [[Central Air Command (India)|Central Air Command]]. Previously, he served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the [[Southern Air Command (India)|Southern Air Command]]. He assumed the office on 1 May 2023 till 30 April 2025 succeeding [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] [[Jonnalagedda Chalapati]].<ref name="pib-020523">{{cite press release|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1921367|title= AIR MARSHAL BALAKRISHNAN MANIKANTAN TAKES OVER AS AIR OFFICER COMMANDING-IN-CHIEF SOUTHERN AIR COMMAND|publisher=PIB|date=2023-05-02}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Balakrishnan Manikantan, a native [[Thiruvarppu]], a village in [[Kottayam]], [[Kerala]]. Born to a teacher couple, Balakrishna Pillai and P K Lakshmi Kutty Amma, Manikantan is an alumnus of [[Sainik School Kazhakootam|Sanik School]], [[Kazhakootam]] and [[National Defence Academy (India)|National Defence Academy]], [[Pune]]. He holds a Post Graduate degree from [[Defence Services Staff College]], [[Wellington Cantonment|Wellington]], Masters in Management Studies (MMS) from [[College of Defence Management]], [[Secunderabad]] and M Phil from [[National Defence College (India)|National Defence College]], [[New Delhi]].<ref name="iaf-sac">{{cite web|url=https://indianairforce.nic.in/southern-air-command|title=AOC-in-C-SAC|publisher=Indian Air Force|date=2023-05-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230504072822/https://indianairforce.nic.in/southern-air-command/|archive-date=2023-05-04}}</ref><ref name="lmt-010523">{{cite web|url=https://www.lokmattimes.com/national/sainik-school-classmates-on-a-high-as-new-southern-air-command-chief-takes-over-on-tuesday/|title=Sainik School, classmates on a high as new Southern Air Command chief takes over on Tuesday |publisher=Lokmat Times|date=2023-05-01}}</ref>

==Career==
Balakrishnan Manikantan was commissioned as the helicopter pilot in the Indian Air Force. In a career spanning over 37 years, he has as more than 5,400 hours of flying experience across various helicopters and fixed wing plane.<ref name="th-010523">{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/air-marshal-b-manikantan-takes-over-as-aoc-in-c-sac/article66803556.ece|title= Air Marshal B. Manikantan takes over as AOC-in-C, SAC|work=The Hindu|date=2023-05-01|first=Nanditakumar|last=T}}</ref>

He is a Helicopter combat leader and a Cat ‘A’ qualified flying instructor. He served as the commanding officer of [[No. 152 Helicopter Unit, IAF|No. 152 Helicopter Unit]] and has taken part in the Indian Air Force contingent at UN Mission in [[Democratic Republic of the Congo|Congo]].

As [[Group captain (India)|Group Captain]], he served as the station commander of [[Allahabad Airport]] and later as [[Air commodore (India)|Air Commodore]], he served as the Air Officer Commanding of 21 Wing at [[Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport|AFS Leh]] in the Western sector. Under his command, the units won trophies for performance at the Command level.

As [[Air vice marshal (India)|Air Vice Marshal]], he served as the Senior Air & Administration Staff Officer, [[Maintenance Command]] at [[Nagpur]]. Later, helped in setting up International Defence Cooperation at HQ-IDS and served as the Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (ACIDS) at [[Integrated Defence Staff]].

He took part in the [[Operation Pawan]], an operation against [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam|LTTE]] by [[Indian Peace Keeping Force]] and [[Operation Meghdoot]].<ref name="mb-100822">{{cite web|url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/kottayam-native-becomes-3rd-malayali-to-be-promoted-as-air-marshal-1.7773921|title=Kottayam native B Manikandan becomes 3rd Malayali to be promoted as Air Marshal|publisher=Mathrubhumi|date=2022-08-10}}</ref>

After his promotion to [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] in August 2022, he served as the Senior Air Staff Officer, [[Eastern Air Command (India)|Eastern Air Command]] till 30 April 2023.<ref name="nie-080822">{{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2022/aug/08/kottayam-native-manikantan-set-to-become-air-marshal-2485195.html|title=Kottayam native Manikantan set to become Air Marshal|first=Cynthia|last=Chandran|publisher=New Indian Express|date=2022-08-08}}</ref>

He took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, [[Southern Air Command (India)|Southern Air Command]] on 1 May 2023 from [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] [[Jonnalagedda Chalapati]] and served till 30 April 2025.<ref name="pib-020523"/>

Later, he was appointed as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, [[Central Air Command (India)|Central Air Command]] on 1 May 2025.<ref name="NIE-010525">{{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Apr/30/armed-forces-up-for-major-rejig-as-new-northern-army-commander-iaf-vice-chief-appointed|title=Armed forces up for major rejig as new Northern Army Commander, IAF Vice Chief appointed|publisher=New Indian Express|date=2025-05-01}}</ref>

== Honours and decorations ==
During his career, Balakrishnan Manikantan has received the Commendation card by AOC-in-C, [[Training Command (India)|Training Command]] in 1988 and again by GOC-in-C, [[Northern Command (India)|Northern Command]] in 2015. He has been awarded the [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]] in 2025, [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]] in 2017 and [[Vayu Sena Medal]] in 2006 for his service.<ref name="PVSM">{{cite press release|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2096200|title=President approves Gallantry awards to 93 Armed Forces personnel, including 12 posthumous & 305 defence decorations on the eve of Republic Day 2025|work=PIB|date=2025-01-25}}</ref><ref name="iaf-sac"/><ref>{{cite press release|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1485391|title= 398 Republic Day Gallantry and other Defence Decorations Announced |publisher=PIB|date=2017-01-25}}</ref>

{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
| colspan="4" |{{Ribbon devices|ribbon=Param Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} {{Ribbon devices|ribbon=Ati Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
| colspan="4" |{{Ribbon devices|ribbon=Vayusena Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} [[File:IND_Samanya_Seva_medal.svg|105x105px]] [[File:IND_Special_Service_Medal_Ribbon.svg|105x105px]]
|-
|[[File:IND_Siachen_Glacier_Medal_Ribbon.svg|105x105px]]
|[[File:IND_Operation_Vijay_medal.svg|105x105px]]
|[[File:IND_Operation_Parakram_medal.svg|105x105px]]
|[[File:IND_Sainya_Seva_Medal_Ribbon.svg|105x105px]]
|-
|[[File:IND_High_Altitude_Medal_Ribbon.svg|105x105px]]
|[[File:IND_Videsh_Seva_Medal_Ribbon.svg|105x105px]]
|[[File:75yearmedal.svg|105x105px]]
|[[File:IND_50th_Anniversary_Independence_medal.svg|105x105px]]
|-
|[[File:IND_30_Years_Long_Service_Ribbon.svg|105x105px]]
|[[File:IND_20YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|105x105px]]
|[[File:IND_9YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|105x105px]]
|[[File:UN_MONUC_Medal_ribbon.svg|105x105px]]
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |[[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |[[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" |[[Vayu Sena Medal]]
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |[[Samanya Seva Medal]]
|[[Special Service Medal (India)|Special Service Medal]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" |[[Siachen Glacier Medal]]
| style="text-align: center;" |[[Operation Vijay Medal]]
| style="text-align: center;" |[[Operation Parakram Medal]]
|[[Indian military decorations#Service and campaign medals|Sainya Seva Medal]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" |[[Indian military decorations#Service and campaign medals|High Altitude Medal]]
| style="text-align: center;" |[[Indian military decorations#Service and campaign medals|Videsh Seva Medal]]
| style="text-align: center;" |[[75th Independence Anniversary Medal (India)|75th Independence Anniversary Medal]]
|[[50th Independence Anniversary Medal]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" |[[Indian military decorations#Service and campaign medals|30 Years Long Service Medal]]
| style="text-align: center;" |[[Indian military decorations#Service and campaign medals|20 Years Long Service Medal]]
| style="text-align: center;" |[[Indian military decorations#Service and campaign medals|9 Years Long Service Medal]]
|[[MONUSCO]]
|}

== Personal life ==
A fitness enthusiast and voracious reader, he is married to [[Group captain (India)|Group Captain]] Nirmala Tutakne Manikantan (Retd). The couple has a son Astrith and a daughter Abhishree.<ref name="mb-100822"/>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}{{Succession box
| title = Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, [[Central Air Command (India)|Central Air Command]]
| years = 1 May 2025 – Present
| before = [[Ashutosh Dixit]]
| after = Incumbent
}}{{Succession box
| title = Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, [[Southern Air Command (India)|Southern Air Command]]
| years = 1 May 2023 – 30 April 2025
| before = [[Jonnalagedda Chalapati]]
| after = [[Manish Khanna (air marshal)|Manish Khanna]]
}}
{{Succession box
| title = Senior Air Staff Officer - [[Eastern Air Command (India)|Eastern Air Command]]
| years = 22 August 2022 – 30 April 2023
| before = [[Amar Preet Singh]]
| after = [[Tejinder Singh (air marshal)|Tejinder Singh]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Manikantan, Balakrishnan}}
[[Category:Sainik School alumni]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian Air Force air marshals]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Vayu Sena Medal]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Defence Services Staff College alumni]]

Balakrishnan Manikantan - Revision history

Serzeqy at 14:21, 24 April 2026