Manish Khanna (air marshal)

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Air Marshal
Manish Khanna
UYSM AVSM VM
Air Marshal Manish Khanna, AVSM, VM.jpg
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief
Southern Air Command
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 June 2025
Service number 18554 [1]
Awards

Air Marshal Manish Khanna, UYSM, AVSM, VM is a serving officer of the Indian Air Force. He is currently serving as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Air Command. [2] He was previously serving as the Senior Air Staff Officer, South Western Air Command. [3]

Contents

Early life and education

The Air officer is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and the Air Force Academy, Dundigal. He is also an alumnus of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, National Defence College, New Delhi and College of Air Warfare, Secunderabad. He also holds a PhD degree in Defence and Strategic Studies. [4]

Career

He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on 6 December 1986 from the Air Force Academy. [5] In a career spanning over 37 years, he has more than 4,000 hours of flying experience across various fighter jets and trainers and has held numerous training and staff appointments. He is a highly experienced fighter pilot and has flown various aircraft of the Indian Air Force which includes Mirage 2000, MiG-21 (BIS/T-96), MiG-25, F-5 A/B fighters and Hawk MK-132, Kiran Mk I/II trainers. He is a Category A qualified flying instructor and has rich operational experience in Air Defence, Ground Attack, Strategic Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare. [4] The Air Marshal's operational tenures include being the Commanding Officer of No. 35 Squadron. As a Group Captain, he served as the Commanding Officer of the Aircrew Examination Board. [6]

As an Air Commodore, he served as the Air Officer Commanding, Air Force Station Bidar, [7] as the Principal Director (Intelligence) [8] and Principal Director Personnel Officer (PDPO) and later as the Air Commodore (Air Defence Ops, Weapon System) [9] at the Air Headquarters, New Delhi.

As an Air Vice Marshal, he served as the Air Officer Commanding, Advance HQ, Western Air Command, [10] as the Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Personnel Officers at the Air Headquarters, New Delhi. On 5 September 2022, he took over as the commandant of the College of Air Warfare,Secunderabad. [11]

After being promoted to the rank of Air Marshal on 3 July 2023, he assumed the appointment of Senior Air Staff Officer, South Western Air Command at Gandhinagar. [3] On 1 June 2025, Air Marshal Manish Khanna took over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Air Command succeeding Air Marshal Balakrishnan Manikantan who moved to Central Air Command as Air Commander. [12]

Awards and decorations

During his career, the air marshal has been awarded the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal on Independence Day 2025 [13] , the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2016 [14] and the Vayu Sena Medal in 2010. [15]

Uttam Yudh Seva Medal ribbon.svg Ati Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg Vayusena Medal ribbon.svg
IND Operation Parakram medal.svg IND Sainya Seva Medal Ribbon.svg IND Videsh Seva Medal Ribbon.svg 75yearmedal.svg
IND 50th Anniversary Independence medal.svg IND 30 Years Long Service Ribbon.svg IND 20YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg IND 9YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg
Uttam Yudh Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Vayu Sena Medal
Operation Parakram Medal Sainya Seva Medal Videsh Seva Medal 75th Anniversary of Independence Medal
50th Independence Anniversary Medal 30 Years Long Service Medal 20 Years Long Service Medal 9 Years Long Service Medal

Dates of ranks

InsigniaRankComponentDate of rank
Indian IAF OF-1a.svg Pilot Officer Indian Air Force6 December 1986 [5]
Indian IAF OF-1b.svg Flying Officer Indian Air Force6 December 1987 [5]
Indian IAF OF-2.svg Flight Lieutenant Indian Air Force6 December 1991 [5]
Indian IAF OF-3.svg Squadron Leader Indian Air Force6 December 1997 [5]
Indian IAF OF-4.svg Wing Commander Indian Air Force5 May 2003 [5]
Indian IAF OF-5.svg Group Captain Indian Air Force1 February 2009 [5]
Indian IAF OF-6.svg Air Commodore Indian Air Force17 June 2013 [5]
Indian IAF OF-7.svg Air Vice Marshal Indian Air Force11 June 2019 [5]
Indian IAF OF-8.svg Air Marshal Indian Air Force3 July 2023 (AOC-in-C from 1 June 2025) [5]

References

  1. ↑ "Air Marshal Manish Khanna - BRF". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  2. ↑ "Air Marshal Manish Khanna took over as AOC-in-C of Southern Air Command , Trivandrum on June 1, 2025". X. 1 June 2025. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Senior Air Staff Officers, South Western Air Command". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Air Marshal Manish Khanna, AOCinC SAC".
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Service Record for Air Marshal Manish Khanna 18554 F(P)". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  6. ↑ "Commanding Officers of Aircrew Examination Board, Indian Air Force - Database". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  7. ↑ "Commanding Officers AFS Bidar, Indian Air Force - Database". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  8. ↑ "Principal Director (Intelligence) Appointments at Air Head Quarters". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  9. ↑ "Air Cmde (Air Defence Ops, Weapon Sys) Appointments at Air Head Quarters". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  10. ↑ "AOC, Advance HQ, Western Air Command, Indian Air Force - Database". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  11. ↑ www.ETGovernment.com. "Air Vice Marshal Manish Khanna assumes command of College of Air Warfare Secunderabad". ETGovernment.com. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  12. ↑ "A Air Marshal Manish Khanna takes charge as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Air Command". The Hindu. 1 June 2025.
  13. ↑ "President approves 127 Gallantry awards, 40 Distinguished Service awards & 290 Mention-in-Despatches on the eve of 79th Independence Day". PIB Delhi. 14 August 2025.
  14. ↑ "Ati Vishist Seva Medal Awardee List for the year 2016". PIB. 26 January 2016.
  15. ↑ "Republic Day Gallantry and other Defence Decorations". PIB (Press release). 25 January 2010.
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