Nagesh Kapoor

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Air Marshal
Nagesh Kapoor
SYSM PVSM AVSM VM
Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, VCAS.jpg
50th Vice Chief of the Air Staff
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 January 2026
Service number 18557 [1]
Awards

Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, SYSM, PVSM, AVSM, VM is a serving air officer of the Indian Air Force. He is currently serving as the 50th Vice Chief of the Air Staff. [2] He was previously serving as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, South Western Air Command [3] prior to that he served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command. [4] He earlier served as the Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel [5] and as the Senior Air Staff Officer, Central Air Command. [6]

Contents

Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff AMNK2.jpg
Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff
Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor assuming charge as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command AMNK1.jpg
Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor assuming charge as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command

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 the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and the National Defence College, New Delhi. [7]

Military career

He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on 6 December 1986 from the Air Force Academy. [8] In a career spanning over three decades, he has more than 3400 hours of flying experience across various fighter jets and has held numerous field & instructional appointments. He is a highly experienced fighter pilot, qualified flying instructor and a fighter combat leader who has flown a variety of combat and trainer aircraft and has flown all variants of MiG-21 and the MiG-29. The Air Marshal's operational tenures include being the Commanding Officer of a fighter squadron in the Central Sector, Station Commander of a flying base in the Western Sector and Air Officer Commanding of a premier air base. He has done instructional tenures as Chief Instructor (Flying) at Air Force Academy and Directing Staff at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. During his tenure at Air Force Academy, the Air Officer was instrumental in the induction and operationalisation of PC-7 MK Il aircraft in the IAF. He has also undertaken a diplomatic assignment as Defence Attaché, Pakistan. [9]

As an Air Vice Marshal, he served as the Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Ops, Strategy) at the Air headquarters, New Delhi, as the Air Officer Commanding of 2 Air Defence Control Centre at Gandhinagar and as the Air Officer Commanding of the Composite Battle Response and Analysis Group. [10]

After being promoted to the rank of Air Marshal, he was appointed as the Senior Air Staff Officer of the Central Air Command at Prayagraj. A year later on 1 September 2023, he took over as the Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel. [6] On 1 May 2024, Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command. [11]

A year later, on 1 May 2025, he took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, South Western Air Command succeeding Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari who moved to the Air Headquarters as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff. [12] He relinquished the command of South Western Air Command on 31 December 2025. On 1 January 2026, Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor took over as the 50th Vice Chief of the Air Staff succeeding Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari who superannuated on 31 December 2025. [2]

Awards and decorations

During his career, the air marshal has been awarded the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal on Independence Day 2025 for his role during Operation Sindoor, [13] the Param Vishisht Seva Medal on Republic Day 2025, [14] the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022 [15] and the Vayu Sena Medal in 2008 for his service. [16]

Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal ribbon.svg Param Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg Ati Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg Vayusena Medal ribbon.svg
IND Samanya Seva medal.svg IND Special Service Medal Ribbon.svg IND Operation Vijay medal.svg IND Operation Parakram medal.svg
IND Sainya Seva Medal Ribbon.svg IND High Altitude 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
Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Vayu Sena Medal
Samanya Seva Medal Special Service Medal Operation Vijay Medal Operation Parakram Medal
Sainya Seva Medal High Altitude Medal Videsh 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

Dates of ranks

InsigniaRankComponentDate of rank
Indian IAF OF-1a.svg Pilot Officer Indian Air Force6 December 1986 [10]
Indian IAF OF-1b.svg Flying Officer Indian Air Force6 December 1987 [10]
Indian IAF OF-2.svg Flight Lieutenant Indian Air Force6 December 1991 [10]
Indian IAF OF-3.svg Squadron Leader Indian Air Force6 December 1997 [10]
Indian IAF OF-4.svg Wing Commander Indian Air Force5 May 2003 [10]
Indian IAF OF-5.svg Group Captain Indian Air Force1 March 2009 [10]
Indian IAF OF-6.svg Air Commodore Indian Air Force17 June 2013 [10]
Indian IAF OF-7.svg Air Vice Marshal Indian Air Force11 June 2019 [10]
Indian IAF OF-8.svg Air Marshal Indian Air Force22 August 2022 (AOC-in-C from 1 May 2024) [10]

References

  1. ↑ "Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor- BRF". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  2. 1 2 "AIR MARSHAL NAGESH KAPOOR SYSM PVSM AVSM VM TAKES OVER AS VICE CHIEF OF THE AIR STAFF, INDIAN AIR FORCE". Press Information Bureau. 1 January 2026.
  3. ↑ "Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor takes charge as AOC-in-C of SW Air Command". Business Standard. 1 May 2025.
  4. ↑ "Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor Takes Over as AOC-in-C Training Command". Press Information Bureau. 1 May 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  5. ↑ "Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor takes over as Air Officer–in–Charge Personnel". www.spsmai.com. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  6. 1 2 "AIR MARSHAL NAGESH KAPOOR TAKES OVER AS AIR OFFICER-IN-CHARGE PERSONNEL". PIB. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  7. ↑ "Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor Assumes Command of IAF's Training Command". SSBCrack. 2 May 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  8. ↑ "Press Release:Press Information Bureau". pib. Retrieved 14 February 2025.
  9. ↑ India, The Hans (2 May 2024). "Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor assumes office". www.thehansindia.com. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Service Record for Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor 18557 F(P) at Bharat Rakshak.com". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  11. ↑ "Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor takes over as AOC–in–C Training Command". www.sps-aviation.com. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
  12. ↑ PTI (1 May 2025). "Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor takes charge as AOC-in-C of South Western Air Command". ThePrint. Retrieved 8 December 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. ↑ "President approves Gallantry awards to 93 Armed Forces personnel, including 11 posthumous & 305 defence decorations on the eve of Republic Day 2025". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
  15. ↑ "President approves 384 Gallantry Awards and other defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel on Republic Day" (Press release). PIB. 25 January 2022.
  16. ↑ "AOC-in-C-SWAC". Indian Air Force. 1 May 2023. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023.
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