Career
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. He is a fighter pilot who has logged over 3,400 hours of flying experience.
Air Chief Marshal Raha was born on 26 December 1954 in the city of Baidyabati, an area under the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority which is in the Indian State of West Bengal.
His father was a reputed doctor. He was educated at Sainik School Purulia (1970 batch).
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 MiG-21 fighter pilot in December 1974. Raha has flown an array of combat and trainer aircraft including the MiG-21 and MiG-29. and has commanded a MiG-29 fighter squadron and two frontline airbases along India"s Western front.
As on April 2, 2010, he had 3,400 hours of flying experience.
Raha has held many important staff appointments in India and abroad. Notable Appointments Held
On 29 October 2013, the Government of India appointed Air Marshal Raha, who was the Vice Chief of Air Staff at that time, to be the next Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force. He took the charge on 31 December 2013, when the Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne retired.
Flight hours: more than 3,400.
