ElenaEbersbacher at 23:24, 1 January 2026

2026-01-01T23:24:25Z

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{{short description|Indian air marshal}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]]
| name = Balakrishnan Suresh
| honorific_suffix = [[PVSM]], [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal|AVSM]], [[Vayusena Medal|VM]], [[Aide-de-camp|ADC]]
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| image = File:Air Marshal Balakrishnan Suresh Indian Air Force.jpg
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| death_date = 
| birth_place = [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kerala]], India<ref name="tribune-aop">{{cite web|title=Air Marshal hailing from Thiruvananthapuram takes over as AOP|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/2016/aug/04/Air-Marshal-hailing-from-Thiruvananthapuram-takes-over-as-AOP-1503514.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025061943/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/2016/aug/04/Air-Marshal-hailing-from-Thiruvananthapuram-takes-over-as-AOP-1503514.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 October 2016|website=NewIndianexpress|accessdate=4 August 2016}}</ref>
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| allegiance = {{IND}}
| branch = {{air force|India}}
| serviceyears = 13 December 1980 - 31 July 2020
| rank = [[File:Air Marshal of IAF.png|20px]] [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]]
| servicenumber = 16206<ref name="pvsm"/>
| unit =
| commands = [[Western Air Command (India)|Western Air Command]]<br>[[Southern Air Command (India)|Southern Air Command]]<br>Air Officer in Charge of Personnel
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| awards = [[File:Param Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|20px]][[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]<br>[[File:Ati Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|20px]][[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]<br>[[File:Vayusena Medal ribbon.svg|20px]][[Vayu Sena Medal]]
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}}

[[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] '''Balakrishnan Suresh''' [[PVSM]], [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal|AVSM]], [[Vayusena Medal|VM]], [[Aide-de-camp|ADC]] is a retired officer of the [[Indian Air Force]]. He served as [[Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief]] (AOC-in-C), [[Western Air Command (India)|Western Air Command]] from 1 November 2019 following superannuation of Air Marshal [[Raghunath Nambiar]], till the day of his retirement on 31 July 2020.<ref name="pib-aocinc-wac">{{cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1589980|title=Air Marshal B Suresh Assumes the Command of Western Air Command as AOC-In-C|date=2019-11-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|user=DefencePROPalam|number=1190263283191672833|title=Air Marshal B Suresh took over as the AOC-in-C, Western Air Command today morning. The Air Marshal reviewed a ceremonial Guard of Honour & thereafter outlined his vision for the Western Air Command in consonance with the objectives of the IAF and the nation.|date=2019-11-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.defenceaviationpost.com/2020/08/air-marshal-b-suresh-superannuated-after-illustrious-career-spanning-40-years/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804044945/https://www.defenceaviationpost.com/2020/08/air-marshal-b-suresh-superannuated-after-illustrious-career-spanning-40-years/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=4 August 2020|title=Air Marshal B Suresh superannuated after illustrious career spanning 40 years|date=2020-07-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|user=DefencePROPalam|number=1289152011691122688|title=After a distinguished service spanning almost 40 years, Air Marshal B Suresh PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC, Air Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Air Command superannuated from the IAF today.|date=2020-07-31}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Air Marshal Suresh is an alumnus of the [[Rashtriya Indian Military College]] in [[Dehradun]], [[National Defence Academy]], in Khadakwasla, [[Air Force Academy (India)]] in Dundigal and the [[Defence Services Staff College]] in [[Wellington, Tamil Nadu|Wellington]]. He is a graduate of the [[Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment]], and a post-graduate from [[Cranfield University]] in [[Shrivenham]], United Kingdom.<ref name="bs-aop">{{cite web|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/air-marshal-suresh-new-iaf-personnel-chief-116073100666_1.html|title=Air Marshal Suresh new IAF personnel chief|date=31 July 2016|accessdate=3 October 2018}}</ref><ref name="pib-saso-wac"/><ref name="pib-aop"/>

==Career==
Air Marshal Suresh was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force on 13 December 1980. He commanded [[No. 2 Squadron IAF|No. 2 Squadron]] 'The Winged Arrows' as a [[Wing commander (rank)|Wing Commander]] and [[Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment]] (TACDE) as a [[group captain|Group Captain]]. Suresh also commanded a strategic fighter base as an [[air commodore|Air Commodore]].<ref name="iaf-aocinc">{{cite web|url=http://indianairforce.nic.in/content/aoc-c-3|title=AIR MARSHAL B SURESH AVSM VM, AOC-IN-C, SOUTHERN AIR COMMAND IAF|accessdate=3 October 2018}}</ref><ref name="pib-aop"/>

Air Marshal Suresh has held other positions including joint director and director for air staff inspection, Director Operations (Joint Planning), directing staff and commandant of TACDE, air assistant to the [[Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Chief of the Air Staff]], Assistant Chief of the Air Staff Operations (Air Defence), senior air staff officer at the [[Western Air Command (India)|Western Air Command]] and Air Officer-in-Chief Personnel at Air Headquarters.<ref name="iaf-aocinc"/><ref name="pib-aop">{{cite web|title=Air Marshal B Suresh Assumes Appointment of AOP|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=148067|date=31 July 2016|website=PIB|publisher=GOI|accessdate=12 October 2017}}</ref><ref name="pib-saso-wac">{{cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=111020|title=Air Marshal B Suresh Takes Over as Senior Air Staff Officer Western Air Command, IAF|date=1 November 2014|accessdate=3 October 2017}}</ref>

He served as [[Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief]], [[Southern Air Command (India)|Southern Air Command]] from 1 August 2018 taking over from [[Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria]], till 30 October 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/commanding-in-chief-of-sac-takes-charge/article24577575.ece|title=New Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief for SAC|website=[[The Hindu]] |date=2 August 2018}}</ref><ref name="sac-relinquish-tweet">{{cite tweet|user=DefencePROTvm|number=1189490849387700224|title=Air Mshl B Suresh AOC-in-C SAC will be assuming the charge of AOC-in-C Western Air Command on 01 Nov 19. He handed over the Command of SAC in Thiruvananthapuram & was presented with an impressive guard of honour and a formal send off was organised by all the personnel of SAC.|date=2019-10-30}}</ref> From there he moved to New Delhi and on 01 November 2019 took over command of [[Western Air Command (India)|Western Air Command]] as its [[Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief]]. He served as the AOC in C of the command until his superannuation on 31st July 2020.

==Awards and medals==

Air Marshal Suresh was awarded [[Vayu Sena Medal]] in 2001 and [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]] as a [[Group Captain]] in 2005.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/16206|title=Service Record for Air Marshal Balakrishnan Suresh 16206 F(P) at Bharat Rakshak.com|website=Bharat Rakshak|language=en-gb|access-date=2019-05-15}}</ref> He is probably one of youngest officers to be awarded the presidential award of [[AVSM]] as a [[Group Captain]]. He was awarded [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]] in 2019.<ref name="pvsm">{{cite web|title=411 Republic Day Gallantry and Other Defence Decorations Announced|publisher=Press Information Bureau, Government of India|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=187777|website=pib.nic.in}}</ref><ref name="iaf-aocinc"/> He was appointed as [[Aide-de-camp]] of the president on 1 February 2019.<ref name="pib-aocinc-wac"/>

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

== Personal life ==
[[Air Marshal]] Suresh is married to Radha Suresh and they have a son and a daughter.<ref name="iaf-aocinc"/>

== References ==

{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{Succession box
| title = Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, [[Western Air Command (India)|Western Air Command]]
| years = 1 November 2019 - 31 July 2020
| before = [[Raghunath Nambiar]]
| after = [[Vivek Ram Chaudhari]]
}}
{{Succession box
| title = Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, [[Southern Air Command (India)|Southern Air Command]]
| years = 1 August 2018 - 30 October 2019
| before = [[Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria]]
| after = [[Amit Tiwari (air marshal)|Amit Tiwari]]
}}
{{s-end}}



[[Category:Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Vayu Sena Medal]]
[[Category:Indian Air Force air marshals]]
[[Category:National Defence Academy (India) alumni]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Thiruvananthapuram]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Suresh, Balakrishnan}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Defence Services Staff College alumni]]

Balakrishnan Suresh - Revision history

ElenaEbersbacher at 23:24, 1 January 2026