Express News Service
Bangalore: Fighter pilot, avid cricket buff and an ace golfer. Air Marshal Rajinder Singh, the new AOC-in-C of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Training Command (TC) in Bangalore is a man with many roles rolled into one. Onboard the IAF for the past 38 years, Rajinder Singh who took over as the TC chief on Thursday, was baptisied into the IAF in 1974, staright into the fighter stream. He did his schooling from Sainik School Thiruvananthapuram and later from the National Defence Academy. Logging over 3100 hours of flying on multiple platforms, including the Hunter, Marut, Kiran and MiG variants, Rajinder Singh is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College.With an Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vayu Sena Medal to boot, Singh is the only officer across all three streams of Services to receive commendations the Chiefs of Army, Navy and the IAF. Speaking to Express soon after taking over, Rajinder Singh said that a great challenge awaits him ahead of the flightpath. “It is an honour because everyone asipires to reach as high as one can in the Service. The job today is more challenging than ever before due to the paucity of resources, especially trainer aircraft which impinge directly on the output of TC,” he said.
He said that he is donning the new role at a time when the IAF is on the cusp of a great transition into a modern and lethal aerospace power. “I am part of a great team that will endeavour to ensure that we give our best to the IAF and maintain the high standards and legacy left behind,” Rajinder Singh told Express.
Later addressing his team, the new man in command reminded his men about the role being vested upon the TC. “It is the mother of all Commands and it is entrusted with the responsibility of moulding and grooming officers, airmen among others so as to strengthen the HR for the Operational and Maintenance Commands. We must produce the best material and must emphasis that flight safety is always paramount,” he said.
Copyright@The New Indian Express
