Air Marshal D C Kumaria will be the new Vice Chief of the Air Staff . Mr Kumaria, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command, the most vital Operational Command of the IAF, would assume his new charge at Air Headquarters on Friday.

Having done his early schooling from Rashtriya Indian Military College(RIMC), Dehradun he went on to join the Khadakwasla, located National Defence Academy (NDA) and was commissioned into the Fighter Stream of the Indian Air Force in 1973.

AIR correspondent reports, early in his career he flew all variants of the MiG-21 aircraft. A graduate of Defence Services Staff College(DSSC), Wellington, he has held various important Field and Staff appointments.

He was awarded Vayu Sena Medal in 1983, Vishisht Seva Medal in 1996, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in Jan 2007 and Param Vishisht Seva Medal in Jan 2012 .