Arup Raha

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Former chief of the Indian Air Force

title: "Arup Raha" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["chiefs-of-the-air-staff-(india)", "vice-chiefs-of-air-staff-(india)", "1954-births", "living-people", "recipients-of-the-param-vishisht-seva-medal", "recipients-of-the-ati-vishisht-seva-medal", "recipients-of-the-vayu-sena-medal", "indian-air-force-air-marshals", "bengali-people", "military-personnel-from-kolkata", "sainik-school-alumni", "air-force-academy-(india)-alumni"] description: "Former chief of the Indian Air Force" topic_path: "geography/india" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arup_Raha" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Former chief of the Indian Air Force ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]

Field	Value
honorific_prefix	Air Chief Marshal (Retd.)
name	Arup Raha
native_name	অরূপ রাহা
native_name_lang	bn
honorific_suffix	PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC
image	ACM Arup Raha.jpg
caption	Official portrait, 2014
birth_date
spouse	Lily Raha
children	Atanu Raha, Anusree Raha
office	54th Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
term_start	31 July 2014
term_end	31 December 2016
president	Pranab Mukherjee
predecessor	Bikram Singh
successor	Sunil Lanba
office1	21st Chief of Air Staff
term_start1	31 December 2013
term_end1	31 December 2016
president1	Pranab Mukherjee
predecessor1	Norman Anil Kumar Browne
successor1	Birender Singh Dhanoa
office2	37th Vice Chief of Air Staff
term_start2	1 July 2013
term_end2	31 December 2013
president2	Pranab Mukherjee
predecessor2	Dinesh Chandra Kumaria
successor2	Ravi Kant Sharma
birth_place	Baidyabati, West Bengal, India
allegiance	India
branch
serviceyears	1975–2016
rank	[[File:Indian IAF OF-9.svg
commands	Western Air Command
Central Air Command
AFS Bathinda
AFS Adampur
47 Squadron IAF
battles	Kargil War
military_blank2	Awards
military_data2	{{plainlist
* 20px Vayu Sena Medal<ref name	"CAC"
image_size	220px
::

| honorific_prefix = Air Chief Marshal (Retd.) | name = Arup Raha | native_name = অরূপ রাহা | native_name_lang = bn | honorific_suffix = PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC | image = ACM Arup Raha.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2014 | birth_date = | spouse = Lily Raha | children = Atanu Raha, Anusree Raha | office = 54th Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee | term_start = 31 July 2014 | term_end = 31 December 2016 | president = Pranab Mukherjee | predecessor = Bikram Singh | successor = Sunil Lanba | office1 = 21st Chief of Air Staff | term_start1 = 31 December 2013 | term_end1 = 31 December 2016 | president1 = Pranab Mukherjee | predecessor1 = Norman Anil Kumar Browne | successor1 = Birender Singh Dhanoa | office2 = 37th Vice Chief of Air Staff | term_start2 = 1 July 2013 | term_end2 = 31 December 2013 | president2 = Pranab Mukherjee | predecessor2 = Dinesh Chandra Kumaria | successor2 = Ravi Kant Sharma | birth_place = Baidyabati, West Bengal, India | allegiance = India | branch = | serviceyears = 1975–2016 | rank = [[File:Indian IAF OF-9.svg|25px]] Air Chief Marshal | commands = Western Air Command Central Air Command AFS Bathinda AFS Adampur 47 Squadron IAF | battles = Kargil War | military_blank2 = Awards | military_data2 = {{plainlist|

[[File:Param_Vishisht_Seva_Medal_ribbon.svg|20px]] Param Vishisht Seva Medal
[[File:Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medal_ribbon.svg|20px]] Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
[[File:Vayusena_Medal_ribbon.svg|20px]] Vayu Sena Medal | Callsign = | image_size = 220px Arup Raha, PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC, () is an Indian Air Force veteran and was the 21st Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force and served from 31 December 2013 to 31 December 2016. He was also the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, a post occupied by India's senior-most military officer, who advises the government and ensures jointsmanship in the armed forces. Currently, he is the Chancellor of Assam University.

Early life and education

Raha was born in a Bengali family on 26 December 1954 in the city of Baidyabati, West Bengal. His father was a doctor. He was educated at Sainik School Purulia (1970 batch).

Military training

Raha was trained at the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, India, from July 1970 to June 1973, and at the time of graduating from NDA in June 1973, he was awarded the Gold Medal for being the best cadet of the 44th NDA course. Subsequently, he did flying training on HT-2 and Kiran ( HJT-16 ) at the Air Force Academy, Hyderabad, before being commissioned into the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot in Dec 1974. After flying Hunters in Operational Conversion Unit, he went on to fly Mig -21 aircraft.

Military career

Raha has flown a wide variety of combat and trainer aircraft. After initial training on the HAL HT-2, he has flown the MIG-21 and MIG-29 aircraft and has commanded a MiG-29 fighter squadron and two frontline airbases along India's Western front. As on 2 April 2010, he had 3,400 hours of flying experience. Raha previously served as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force and as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the Western Air Command, and that of the Central Air Command. He has also served as the Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters, Western Air Command and Deputy Commandant at Air Force Academy, Hyderabad.

Raha has held many important staff appointments in India and abroad.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Air_Chief_calls_on_PM_Modi_on_3_June_2014_.jpg" caption="Air Chief calls on PM [[Narendra Modi"] ::

Notable appointments held

::data[format=table]

Name of Appointment	Rank	Insignia	Period
Chief of Air Staff	Air Chief Marshal	[[File:Indian IAF OF-9.svg	64x64px]]
Vice Chief of Air Staff	Air Marshal	[[File:Indian IAF OF-8.svg	64x64px]]
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Air Command of the IAF	Air Marshal	[[File:Indian IAF OF-8.svg	64x64px]]
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command of the IAF	Air Marshal	[[File:Indian IAF OF-8.svg	64x64px]]
Senior Air Staff Officer at Western Air Command	Air Vice Marshal	[[File:Indian IAF OF-7.svg	64x64px]]
Directing Staff at Flying Instructors School, Tambaram	Air Commodore	[[File:Indian IAF OF-6.svg	64x64px]]
Commanding Officer of No: 47 Squadron IAF Black Archers	Wing Commander	[[File:Indian IAF OF-4.svg	64x64px]]
::

Personal life

Arup Raha is married to Lily Raha and they have two children. The son, Atanu, is a commercial pilot who is married to Sanskriti Chatterjee Raha, a professional Kathakali dancer. The daughter, Anusree Raha, is an Indian Economic Service officer and a TEDx speaker, and is married to Bodhisattwa Biswas, an alumnus of Indian School of Business.

Awards and decorations

::data[format=table]


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::data[format=table]

50th Anniversary of Independence Medal	30 Years Long Service Medal	20 Years Long Service Medal	9 Years Long Service Medal
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In 2018, the state-run Sidho Kanho Birsha University awarded Arup Raha with an honorary D.Litt. degree during its convocation ceremony.

References

References

(31 December 2013). "Arup Raha takes over as IAF chief". [[The Times of India]].
(31 December 2013). "Arup Raha takes over as IAF chief". The Hindu.
"Central Air Command". Indianairforce.nic.in.
"Arup Raha is new chief of staff". Deccan Herald.
(2 April 2010). "Arup Raha takes over as senior Air Staff Officer at WAC". [[The Times of India]].
(30 October 2013). "Air Marshal Arup Raha to be IAF Chief".
Jayanta Gupta. (26 January 2012). "Sainik School in Purulia turns 50, Air Marshal to be chief guest". [[The Times of India]].
(30 June 2013). "Air Marshal Arup Raha to take over as IAF Vice Chief".
"Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha's official profile".
(August 2023)
"Indian Economic Service".
"Aajkaal: Bengali News, Bangla News, Breaking News in Bengali".

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