Air Commodore Suraj Shankar has assumed command of the Airmen Training School (ATS) Belgaum, succeeding Air Commodore S Sridhar on Wednesday. Commissioned into the Indian Air Force (IAF) flying branch on June 29, 1996, he is a graduate of the Defence Service Staff College (DSSC) in Wellington and the College of Air Warfare (CAW) in Secunderabad.
Throughout his distinguished career, Air Commodore Suraj Shankar has served in various operational and staff roles, including Air Force Examiner, Chief Operations Officer of a significant flying unit, and Commanding Officer of a frontline helicopter unit in the northeastern sector. He also participated in UN Peacekeeping Forces in Congo in 2004 as part of the Indian Aviation Contingent. Prior to his current assignment, he held a staff position at Air Headquarters, New Delhi.
Recognized for his exceptional service, Air Commodore Suraj Shankar has received commendations from the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief and Chief of the Air Staff, along with being awarded the Vayu Sena Medal by the President in 2016 for his contributions during Operation Maitri, the earthquake relief operations in Nepal.
