Jonnalagedda Chalapati

Air Marshal Jonnalagedda Chalapati, AVSM, VSM is a retired officer of the Indian Air Force. Currently, he served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), Southern Air Command. He took over the office on 3 October 2021, succeeding of Air Marshal Manavendra Singh and superannuated on 31 March, 2023.[2]

Air Marshal
Jonnalagedda Chalapati
AVSM, VSM
Personal details
BornAndhra Pradesh, India
AwardsAti Vishisht Seva Medal
Vishisht Seva Medal
Military service
Allegiance India
Branch/service Indian Air Force
Years of service22 December 1983 - 31 March 2023[1]
Rank Air Marshal
CommandsSouthern Air Command
Air Force Academy
AFS Bagdogra
Service number17358[1]

Early life and education

He graduated from the Hyderabad Public School in 1980.[3] He is an alumnus of National Defence Academy Khadagwasla and Air Force Academy Hyderabad. He has completed his National Defence Course from Bangladesh and Masters Degree in Military Studies from King's College London.[4]

Career

Jonnalagedda Chalapati was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force on December 22, 1983. He has flying experience on various aircraft including HAL Tejas.[1][5]

Chalapati is a Qualified Flying Instructor and an Experimental Test Pilot and has about 3311 hrs of operational flight experience. He had served as a test pilot at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited working with DRDO on various projects.

He has held various appointments including Command of an Operational Squadron, commanded the AFS Bagdogra. Served as the Project Director (Flight Test) at National Flight Test Center, Aeronautical Development Agency. He was the Commandant at Air Force Academy, Dundigal.

Previous to his present assignment, he had served as Senior Air Staff Officer for the Southern Air Command from 1 August 2020 to 2 October 2021.[6][1]

Awardsand decorations

Chalapati has been awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in 2012 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022.[1][7]

Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Vishisht Seva Medal
Samanya Seva Medal Siachen Glacier Medal Sainya Seva Medal 75th Independence Anniversary Medal
50th Independence Anniversary Medal 30 Years Long Service Medal 20 Years Long Service Medal 9 Years Long Service Medal

Personal life

Jonnalagedda Chalapati is married to Mrs Smitha Gayatri who is President of Air Force Wives Welfare Association (Regional). The couple is blessed with two children.[5]

References
  1. "Air Marshal Jonnalagedda Chalapati - Bharat Rakshak". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  2. "Air Marshal J.Chalapati takes over as SAC chief". The Hindu. 2021-10-04.
  3. Dammala, Rachel (2023-06-05). "Hyderabad Public School: A Century of Leadership and Excellence". Deccan Chronicle.
  4. "Chalapati takes over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Air Command". Outlook India. 2021-10-04.
  5. "AOC-in-C-SAC". Indian Air Force. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  6. "Air Marshal Chalapati joins Southern Air Command". New Indian Express. 2020-08-04.
  7. "President approves 384 Gallantry Awards and other defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel on Republic Day". PIB. 2022-01-25.
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