Bot at 13:47, 21 October 2022

2022-10-21T13:47:21Z

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{{short description|Indian air marshal}}
{{Infobox Officeholder
|honorific_prefix = [[Air Marshal]]
|name = Harjit Singh Arora
|honorific_suffix = [[PVSM]], [[AVSM]], [[Aide-de-camp|ADC]]
|image = Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora AVSM ADC assumes charge as Vice Chief of the Air Staff (1) (cropped).jpg
|image_upright =
|alt =
|caption =
|native_name =
|native_name_lang =
|birth_name =
|other_name =
|nickname =
|office = 44th [[Vice Chief of Air Staff (India)|Vice Chief of the Air Staff]]
|term_start = 1 October 2019
|term_end = 30 June 2021
|predecessor = [[Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria]]
|successor = [[Vivek Ram Chaudhari]]
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|06|25}}
|birth_place =
|death_date = 
|death_place =
|allegiance = {{IND}}
|branch = {{air force|India}}
|serviceyears = December 1981 - 30 June 2021
|serviceyears_label =
|rank = [[File:India-AirForce-OF-8-collected.svg|30px]] [[Air Marshal]]
|rank_label =
|military_blank1 = [[Service number]]
|military_data1 = 16557<ref name="avsm-pib"/>
|unit =
|commands = [[Vice Chief of Air Staff (India)|Vice Chief of the Air Staff]]<br>[[South Western Air Command, Indian Air Force|South Western Air Command]]<br>Director General Air Operations<br>Director General of Inspection and Safety
|battles =
|battles_label =
|military_blank2 = Awards
|military_data2 = [[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]]
|memorials =
|spouse = Baljeet Arora
|children = 2 sons
|relations =
|laterwork =
|signature =
|signature_size =
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|website = 
|module =
}}

[[Air Marshal]] '''Harjit Singh Arora''' [[PVSM]], [[AVSM]], [[Aide-de-camp|ADC]] is a retired officer of the [[Indian Air Force]] and served as the former [[Vice Chief of Air Staff (India)|Vice Chief of the Air Staff]] from 1 October 2019 till 30 June 2021. He is succeeded by [[Air Marshal]] [[Vivek Ram Chaudhari]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1731870|title=AIR MARSHAL VIVEK RAM CHAUDHARI PVSM AVSM VM ASSUMES CHARGE AS VICE CHIEF OF THE AIR STAFF|publisher=PIB|date=2021-07-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://bharatshakti.in/air-force-change-of-guard-at-critical-posts/|title=Rapid Turnover in IAF Brass|publisher=Bharat Shakti|date=2021-05-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|user=IAF_MCC|number=1178935291228241920|title=Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora, took over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff today. He was commissioned into the fighter stream of IAF in Dec 1981. He has a vast experience of operational flying on modern and legacy fighters in the IAF inventory.|date=2019-10-01}}</ref><ref name="vrc-vcas">{{cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/Printrelease.aspx?relid=193545|title=Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora AVSM ADC assumes charge as Vice Chief of the Air Staff|date=2019-10-01}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Arora is an alumnus of the [[Defence Services Staff College]], Wellington and the [[National Defence College (India)|National Defence College]], New Delhi. He is a graduate from the [[Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment]] in [[Gwalior]]. He also has an M. Phil. in defence and strategic studies.

== Career ==
Arora was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force in December 1981. He has flying experience of over 2600 hours on [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21|Mig-21]], [[Mikoyan MiG-29|Mig-29]], and also helicopters.<ref name="pib-dgao" />

Arora has commanded a [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21|Mig-21]] squadron and then Air Defence Direction Center as a Group Captain in the south western sector. He has also commanded [[No. 45 Squadron IAF|45 Squadron]] as a [[Wing commander (rank)|wing commander]]. He has held other posts including air officer commanding of the [[Adampur Air Force Station]], air defence commander at [[Western Air Command (India)|Western Air Command]] Headquarters, air defence commander at [[Eastern Air Command (India)|Eastern Air Command]] Headquarters, directing staff at [[Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment]] and as a flying inspector in the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection. He also served as a [[Military attaché|defence attaché]] at the Indian embassy at Bangkok from 2006 to 2009.<ref name="pib-dgao">{{cite press release|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=149241|title=Air Marshal HS Arora AVSM Takes Over as Director General Air (Operations)|date=26 August 2016|accessdate=2 October 2018}}</ref><ref name="pib-aoc-swac" />

Arora served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, [[South Western Air Command, Indian Air Force|South Western Air Command]] from 30 September 2018 after superannuation of Air Marshal [[Ravinder Kumar Dhir]], to 30 September 2019. He was succeeded by Air Marshal [[Surendra Kumar Ghotia]].<ref name="pib-aoc-swac">{{cite press release|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=183887|title=Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora AVSM takes over Command as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief South Western Air Command |date=2 October 2018|accessdate=2 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2018/india/air-marshal-arora-is-south-western-commander-in-chief.html|title=Air Marshal Arora is South-Western Commander-in-Chief|date=1 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|user=DefencePRO_Guj|number=1178710177488310272|title=Air Marshal HS Arora Ati Vishist Seva Medal ADC, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, handed over command of #SouthWesternAirCommand today. He proceeds to Air HQ to take over as Vice Chief of Air Staff from 01 Oct 19.|date=2019-09-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://connectgujarat.com/air-marshal-hs-arora-hands-over-command-of-hq-swac-to-take-over-as-vice-chief/?platform=hootsuite|title=Air Marshal HS Arora hands over command of HQ SWAC to take over as Vice Chief|date=2019-09-30}}</ref>

He was appointed as the [[Vice Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Vice Chief of Air Staff]] on 28 September 2019 following elevation of Air Marshal [[Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria|Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhaduria]] as [[Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Chief of Air Staff]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www-timesnownews-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.timesnownews.com/amp/india/article/air-marshal-hs-arora-appointed-as-iaf-vice-chief/496400?usqp=mq331AQCKAE=&amp_js_v=0.1|title=Air Marshal HS Arora appointed as IAF Vice Chief {{!}} India News|website=www-timesnownews-com.cdn.ampproject.org|access-date=2019-09-28}}</ref>

He superannuated on 30 June 2021 after 39 years of service.<ref name="vrc-vcas"/>

== Honours and decorations ==
In his career of over 38 years, Arora has been awarded the [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]] in January 2011 and the [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]] in January 2020.<ref name="avsm-pib">{{cite press release|url=http://www.pib.nic.in/newsite/erelcontent.aspx?relid=69354|title=440 Republic Day Gallantry and other Defence Decorations Announced|date=25 January 2011|accessdate=2 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=197643|title=Distinguished Service and Gallantry Awards to IAF Personnel on Republic Day - 2020|date=2020-01-25}}</ref>

{| 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}}
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
|style="text-align:center;"| [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
|style="text-align:center;"| [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
|}

== Personal life ==
Arora is married to Baljeet; the couple have two sons.<ref name="pib-dgao" />

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

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}{{Succession box
| title = [[Vice Chief of the Air Staff (India)| Vice Chief of Air Staff]]
| years = 1 October 2019 - 30 June 2021
| before = [[Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria]]
| after = [[Vivek Ram Chaudhari]]
}}
{{Succession box
| title = Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, [[South Western Air Command, Indian Air Force|South Western Air Command]]
| years = 30 September 2018 - 30 September 2019
| before = [[Ravinder Kumar Dhir]]
| after = [[Surendra Kumar Ghotia]]
}}
{{Succession box
| title = Director General Air (Operations)
| years = 22 August 2016 - 30 September 2018
| before = [[Anil Khosla]]
| after = [[Amit Dev]]
}}
{{Succession box
| title = Director General (Flight Inspection & Safety)
| years = 1 December 2015 - 30 June 2016
| before = [[Karath Padmadass Nair]]
| after = [[Anil Khosla]]
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arora, Harjit Singh}}
[[Category:Vice Chiefs of Air Staff (India)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:National Defence College, India alumni]]
[[Category:Indian air attachés]]

Harjit Singh Arora - Revision history

Bot at 13:47, 21 October 2022