Air Marshal Ajay Shriniwas Karnik, an ace fighter pilot, will take over as the IAF's director general (inspection and safety) tomorrow and be in charge of flight safety of the entire Air Force fleet.
Karnik is at present the Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) of the Palam-based Western Air Command, considered the 'sword arm' of the IAF.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA) at Khadakvasla, the officer was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF in June 1972 and has flown for over 3,000 hours on fighter jets such as MiG-21 Bis and MiG-29s.
A fighter combat leader and a qualified flying instructor, he is also an alumnus of the Air War College at the University of the US Air Force in Montgomery.
Having trained in the erstwhile USSR on MiG-29, Karnik went on to command a fighter unit flying the Russian-origin jet. He has also commanded important operational Air Force bases in the western desert sector and the western coastal region.
With a vast experience in operational flying, training, command and staff appointments, he has also served as the head of the Training Team (Air) and senior instructor at the tri-service Defence Services Staff College at Wellington.
He was air officer commanding of maritime air operations in Mumbai and SASO at the Shillong-based Eastern Air Command. Karnik has been decorated with Ati Vishist Seva Medal and Vayu Sena Medal for distinguished service.
