Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar

• Eastern Air Command
• Defence Space Agency
• AFS Bidar
• No. 18 Squadron

Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar PVSM UYSM AVSM
48th Vice Chief of the Air Staff
Incumbent
Assumed office 3 October 2024
Service Number	17841 [1]
Awards	Param Vishisht Seva Medal Uttam Yudh Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal

Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM is a serving air officer of the Indian Air Force. He is currently serving as the 48th Vice Chief of the Air Staff. ^[2] He previously served as the Air Officer Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command, ^[3] prior to that he was the Senior Air Staff Officer of the South Western Air Command, Gandhinagar. ^[4] He also served as the first Director General of the newly formed Defence Space Agency at Bengaluru. ^[5]

Early life and education

He is an alumnus of Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun. He then attended the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and the Air Force Academy, Dundigal. He is also an alumnus Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and USAF Air War College, Montgomery. ^[6]

Career

Air Marshal Dharkar was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force on 14 June 1985 from the Air Force Academy, Dundigal. In a distinguished career spanning over 38 years, he has tenanted various staff and instructional appointments. He has flying experience of over 3,600 hours. He has flown various types of jet fighter and trainer aircraft and has significant experience in ground attack / strike roles, predominantly on the MiG-23 BN & MiG 27 aircraft. He has commanded a front line fighter squadron and a Fighter Flying Training Establishment. ^[7] He has instructional experience in conducting professional military education for medium and senior level officers at the Defence Services Staff College and was directing staff at the College of Air Warfare, Secunderabad. ^[8]

As Wing Commander, he has commanded the No. 18 squadron. He then took over as Air Officer Commanding of Air Force Station, Bidar. After being promoted to the rank of Air Vice Marshal, he served as Air Defence Commander at Eastern Air Command, Shillong, Assistant Chief of Air Staff at the Air Headquarters, New Delhi. ^[9] He was later appointed as the first Director General of the Defence Space Agency. ^[10]

After being promoted to the rank of Air Marshal, he assumed the appointment of Senior Air Staff Officer of South Western Air Command on 1 November 2021. A year later on 1 October 2022 Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command succeeding Air Marshal Dilip Kumar Patnaik when the latter superannuated from service on 30 September 2022. ^[11]

On 3 October 2024, Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar took over as the 48th Vice Chief of the Air Staff succeeding Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh upon his elevation as the Chief of Air Staff. ^[12]

Awards and decorations

The Air Officer has been awarded with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2023, ^[13] the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal in 2025 ^[14] and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2014. ^[15]

Param Vishisht Seva Medal		Uttam Yudh Seva Medal
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal	Special Service Medal		Operation Vijay Medal
Operation Parakram Medal	Sainya Seva Medal	High Altitude 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 rank

Insignia	Rank	Component	Date of rank
	Pilot Officer	Indian Air Force	14 June 1985 [9]
	Flying Officer	Indian Air Force	14 June 1986 [9]
	Flight Lieutenant	Indian Air Force	14 June 1990 [9]
	Squadron Leader	Indian Air Force	14 June 1996 [9]
	Wing Commander	Indian Air Force	14 May 2002 [9]
	Group Captain	Indian Air Force	1 May 2008 [9]
	Air Commodore	Indian Air Force	01 February 2011 [9]
	Air Vice Marshal	Indian Air Force	2 January 2017 [9]
	Air Marshal	Indian Air Force	1 November 2021 (AOC-in-C from 1 July 2022) [9]

References

1. "Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar". Bharat Rakshak. 2022-12-29.
2. "Air Marshal SP Dharkar Assumes Charge As Air Staff's Vice Chief". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
3. "S P Dharkar new chief of IAF Eastern Air Command". The Economic Times. 2022-10-01. ISSN   0013-0389 . Retrieved 2024-09-27.
4. "SP Dharkar new chief of IAF Eastern Air Command". India Today. 2022-10-01. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
5. "Defence Space Agency will be based at Bengaluru". www.asianage.com. 2019-05-15. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
6. "Air Marshal SP Dharkar". Indian Air Force.
7. "Eastern Air Command - IAF". Indian Air Force. 2022-12-29. Archived from the original on 2022-12-29.
8. "Air Marshal SP Dharkar to be the next IAF Vice Chief". ANI News. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
9. "Service Record for Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar Dharkar 17841 F(P) at Bharat Rakshak.com". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
10. "Defence Space Agency will be based at Bengaluru". Deccan Chronicle. 2019-05-15. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
11. "Air Marshal Dharkar is the new Eastern Air Commander". Asian Age. 2022-10-01.
12. "Air Marshal SP Dharkar Assumes Charge As Vice Chief Of Air Staff". Times Now. 2024-10-03. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
13. "President approves 412 Gallantry awards and other defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel on Republic Day" (Press release). PIB. 2023-01-25.
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. "368 Republic Day Gallantry and Other Defence Decorations Announced". archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 2024-09-27.

Military offices
Preceded by Amar Preet Singh	Vice Chief of Air Staff 3 October 2024 - Present	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Dilip Kumar Patnaik	Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command 1 October 2022 – 30 September 2024	Succeeded by Surat Singh
Preceded by Sreekumar Prabhakaran	Senior Air Staff Officer - South Western Air Command 1 November 2021 – 30 September 2022	Succeeded by Ashutosh Dixit
Preceded by Post Established	Director General - Defence Space Agency 1 November 2019 – 9 June 2021	Succeeded by Dhananjay Vasant Khot