Air Marshal

Arvindra Singh Butola

PVSM, VM, VSM
AllegianceIndia
Service/branchIndian Air Force
Years of serviceJune 1982 - 30 September 2020
Rank Air Marshal
Service number16789[1]
Commands heldTraining Command
AwardsParam Vishisht Seva Medal
Vayusena Medal
Vishisht Seva Medal

Air Marshal Arvindra Singh Butola, PVSM, VM, VSM is a retired officer of the Indian Air Force. He was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), Training Command, and assumed office on 14 October 2019 succeeding Air Marshal Surendra Kumar Ghotia.[2][3] Air Marshal AS Butola superannuated on 30 September 2020.[4]

Early life and education

Butola graduated from National Defence Academy Khadakwasla in May 1981. He is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and the National Defence College, New Delhi.[5][6]

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.[2][6][1]

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, 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.[7][6]

Butola assumed office of Commandant Air Force Academy on 4 September 2018 and served there till his appointment as AOC-in-C Training Command.[5][2] Prior to Commandant of Air Force Academy, he served as Senior Air Staff Officer, Central Air Command, taking over on 1 August 2016.[7]

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.[6][8]

Param Vishisht Seva Medal Vayu Sena Medal Vishisht Seva Medal


References

  1. 1 2 "AS Butola BRF". Bharat-Rakshak. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 @Prodef_blr (14 October 2019). "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" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ↑ "Air Marshal Arvindra Singh Butola assumes charge of IAF Training Command". 14 October 2019.
  4. ↑ "Indian Air Force to see major reshuffle at top level on October 1". New Indian Express. 29 September 2020.
  5. 1 2 @dprohyd (4 September 2018). "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" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Appointments". 16 August 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  7. 1 2 "Air Marshal Butola takes over as Commandant of Air Force Academy". The Times of India. 4 September 2018.
  8. ↑ "President Shri Ram Nath Kovind approves 455 Gallantry & other defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel on Republic Day". PIB. 25 January 2021.
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