Khanna moves in as maintenance chief at IAF Headquarters

Air Marshal Virender Mohan Khanna was commissioned in the mechanical stream of aeronautical engineering branch in the Indian Air Force on July 25, 1977.

New Delhi: Air Marshal Virender Mohan Khanna has assumed responsibilities of Air Officer-incharge Maintenance (AOM) at the Air Headquarters here, an official statement said on Sunday.

Khanna is an alumnus of the prestigious Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.

Decorated with 'Vishisht Seva' and 'Ati Vishisht Seva' medals, the air marshal was commissioned in the mechanical stream of aeronautical engineering branch in the Indian Air Force on July 25, 1977.

A graduate from Regional Engineering College, Kurukshetra, and a post-graduate in Industrial Engineering and Management from the Indian Institute of Technology at Kharagpur, the officer has held important assignments of director general (aircraft) and assistance chief of air staff engg (transport and helicopters) at the Air Headquarters, Senior Maintenance Staff Officer and Chief Engineering Officer at the Eastern Air Command headquarters during his career spanning 38 years.

He has also served at various base repair depots as chief of aircraft, chief of production and planning and commanding Officer.

He was instrumental in the successful induction of a large number of MI-17 V5 helicopters, Hawk advanced jet trainers and Pilatus aircraft.

An avid sportsman, Air Marshal Khanna was a member of two Indian expeditions to the Antarctica, where the IAF played a pivotal role in setting up Indian permanent bases Dakshin Gangotri and Maitri.

He succeeds Air Marshal Sukhchain Singh Vishisht, who retired after 37 years of service.