14 thoughts on “Photos: India gets its 19th Chief of Air Staff”
Anonymous
This is not going to be a popular comment, but it is something that has to be said right now:
With that potbelly and ?????? look, Shri Pradeep Vasant Naik looks like the ‘safest’ (aka most subservient and submissive) IAF chief Sonia could have picked.
A man like that is not going to be inspiring anyone in the force, that’s for sure. He should be a babu in IAS, not commanding IAF.
I won’t say more, but those who follow these top officers know what I mean.
A fast-jet pilot becoming the CAS is good news indeed, but is he currently certified to fly any combat aircraft (and I don;t mean joy rides)? The new CAS urgently needs to undergo a weight-reduction regime. Unless he himself is fighting fit, he is unlikely to lead a fighting fit institution.
The comment by the first Anon is in real poor taste.Hiding behind the veil of anonymity,this self styled soothsayer has clearly crossed his brief.If pot bellies and physical appearance were to determine military leadership then Churchill would not have won the WW II for Britain.Gen BC Joshi is still remembered in the Army for his reformist vision and far-reaching initiatives.At that level,pot bellies matter less -its the strategic decision making and professional acumen which counts.As regards the new CAS,he has an impeccable professional record – is known to be a straight forward and no-nonsense guy.Before jumping to such uncharitable conclusions,give your rationality a chance!
Looks like IAF uses Windows Vista and Tata Sky. I can Tata Sky remote near the Samsung (??) TFT screen. Also, the operating system seems to be Windows Vista and screen display some kind of schedule.
I recognize the original comment is controversial, I also take full responsibility for it yet it is nevertheless my honest feeling on this matter.
Churchill was a politician, and the war was not won by his silly speaches or grand standing, but by US and British soldiers/officers who were fit and better killers than their rivals. Also, this isn’t 1943 either. If you wear a uniform, have some standards of fitness (taking age into consideration as well). No one likes exercise, but the higher you reach in heirarchy, the bigger the burden on you to do your part in upholding the standards, out of respect to the institution and juniors serving under you, if nothing else.
No one respects a potbellied policeman, they are lampooned and mocked by their own peers as ?????. Same in the forces.
There are others in IAF who are far more capable than Shri P. V. Naik. This is not to belittle his service in any way, he has clearly served the nation to the best of his limited abilities and for that we are all indebted.
Equally he is the ‘safe’ impotent guy who will never give the Defense Minister and ??????? Sonia Gandhi a sleepless night.
After the pay comission drama, the politicians are concerned and this is just the first step in castrating the leadership. Appointing a physically unfit “yes madam” career climber as chief is slap on the face of every single Air Force serviceman. You don’t have to like this, I certainly don’t, it is what it is.
Oh, one more thing. The Chiefs do not sit and decide on the tactics and strategies of a battle, Perhaps they do in tinpot armed forces of Pakistan, but not in India or any other professional force. Those duties are delegated waaay below the office of CAS.
Their job is to fight full time for their institution, in this case IAF. The chief does not spend time on battle tactics, rather he fights the politicians and babus. 24 x 7. And this isn’t just in India, it is global phenomenon.
The chief fights for his men, the men fight for him and win the war, and politicians take the credit. That’s the way it has always been. So all the alleged technical and strategic brilliance of Shri Naik as a fighter pilot is of no use to his new office. Or the offices he has already held in recent past.
Real life does not work like a Command & Conquer game. Sorry if it shatters the illusions of the ignorant.
PS: I must stress that pointing out flaws in the selection and the appointed candidate is not an attack on his service or his patriotism. The defence forces have by nature a very 'unfair' pyramid structure, and are not obligated by PC reasons to promote people into positions they are not fit to serve.
Plenty of officers find themselves getting 'parked', some accept it while others use lobbying to climb. This is not a mere promotion we are talking about (no one is "promoted" to Chief of Air Force), it is an appointment.
Men may come , men may go, But we need More sqn's in IAF, IAF need to place interim order for atleast 40 – 60 nos jets ( f-16 / gripen / mig-35),due to we face many losses in fighter jets in accidents & already we are in sqn depletion , i wonder no one is taking care or worry about motherland which faces danger with dragons .
Why is it such a good thing to have a fighter pilot at the helm always? The force, if anything, needs fresh, new perspectives all the time. We really should have a rotation system between the groups – fighter, helis, transports, etc.
The previous chief made serious moves to redress the serious lack of decent choppers in the IAF – a serious problem ignored by the “superior” fighters.
For the anon who has attempted two more ill-concieved ramblings to overcome his original guilt – for starters the CAS is not addressed as Shri … and just for your information I know the new CAS well enough to vouch for his professional acumen and wcapability.I wonder on what basis have you made those totally ridiculous remarks against him?You seem to be a civilian who has worked closely with the Defence services(always feeling jealous on the sides)and if you really are a Serviceman – you should be ashamed for being so uncharitable to someone who has served for almost 40 years in uniform.In anonymity you have attempted to malign a good officer,without even waiting to see him function at the helm.Therefore your comments deserve all the contempt that they should.And yes – I am not from the IAF but I know the Air Marshal well enough to tell you that he wore the uniform at the age of 11(as a Sainik school cadet) – an age when perhaps you were still sh****g in your pants!
hello guys, i agree with first comment that AFCS looks totally out of shape. He may be ( and probably is ) an excellant fighter pilot but he needs to control his aloo parathas. BTW for the commenter who said he is from Sanik School at 14 so am I and today at 50 my waist line will put half u guys to shame. Has anyone seen pics of Admiral Arun Prakash when he took over as CNS ? Fit as a fiddle.
Regards
Ps : Arun Prakash wrote me of so there is no love lost.
Guys there can be a variety of issues which make a person round around the middle – before knowing the reasons, I would not go out on a limb and dub the CAS an aloo paratha lover.
There was this Col of the special forces whom a visiting TV crew nicknamed rolly polly as they thought he was like them, all fat and happy. He'd just been through a gruelling operation to remove a stomach tumor.
So my advice to you lot would be to judge Naik by his actions and deeds not his waistline.
This is not going to be a popular comment, but it is something that has to be said right now:
With that potbelly and ?????? look, Shri Pradeep Vasant Naik looks like the ‘safest’ (aka most subservient and submissive) IAF chief Sonia could have picked.
A man like that is not going to be inspiring anyone in the force, that’s for sure. He should be a babu in IAS, not commanding IAF.
I won’t say more, but those who follow these top officers know what I mean.
back to fighter pilots. thank god.
A fast-jet pilot becoming the CAS is good news indeed, but is he currently certified to fly any combat aircraft (and I don;t mean joy rides)? The new CAS urgently needs to undergo a weight-reduction regime. Unless he himself is fighting fit, he is unlikely to lead a fighting fit institution.
Am i blind..or F H
Major is actually crying??
The comment by the first Anon is in real poor taste.Hiding behind the veil of anonymity,this self styled soothsayer has clearly crossed his brief.If pot bellies and physical appearance were to determine military leadership then Churchill would not have won the WW II for Britain.Gen BC Joshi is still remembered in the Army for his reformist vision and far-reaching initiatives.At that level,pot bellies matter less -its the strategic decision making and professional acumen which counts.As regards the new CAS,he has an impeccable professional record – is known to be a straight forward and no-nonsense guy.Before jumping to such uncharitable conclusions,give your rationality a chance!
Looks like IAF uses Windows Vista and Tata Sky. I can Tata Sky remote near the Samsung (??) TFT screen. Also, the operating system seems to be Windows Vista and screen display some kind of schedule.
I recognize the original comment is controversial, I also take full responsibility for it yet it is nevertheless my honest feeling on this matter.
Churchill was a politician, and the war was not won by his silly speaches or grand standing, but by US and British soldiers/officers who were fit and better killers than their rivals. Also, this isn’t 1943 either. If you wear a uniform, have some standards of fitness (taking age into consideration as well). No one likes exercise, but the higher you reach in heirarchy, the bigger the burden on you to do your part in upholding the standards, out of respect to the institution and juniors serving under you, if nothing else.
No one respects a potbellied policeman, they are lampooned and mocked by their own peers as ?????. Same in the forces.
There are others in IAF who are far more capable than Shri P. V. Naik. This is not to belittle his service in any way, he has clearly served the nation to the best of his limited abilities and for that we are all indebted.
Equally he is the ‘safe’ impotent guy who will never give the Defense Minister and ??????? Sonia Gandhi a sleepless night.
After the pay comission drama, the politicians are concerned and this is just the first step in castrating the leadership. Appointing a physically unfit “yes madam” career climber as chief is slap on the face of every single Air Force serviceman. You don’t have to like this, I certainly don’t, it is what it is.
Oh, one more thing. The Chiefs do not sit and decide on the tactics and strategies of a battle, Perhaps they do in tinpot armed forces of Pakistan, but not in India or any other professional force. Those duties are delegated waaay below the office of CAS.
Their job is to fight full time for their institution, in this case IAF. The chief does not spend time on battle tactics, rather he fights the politicians and babus. 24 x 7. And this isn’t just in India, it is global phenomenon.
The chief fights for his men, the men fight for him and win the war, and politicians take the credit. That’s the way it has always been. So all the alleged technical and strategic brilliance of Shri Naik as a fighter pilot is of no use to his new office. Or the offices he has already held in recent past.
Real life does not work like a Command & Conquer game. Sorry if it shatters the illusions of the ignorant.
PS: I must stress that pointing out flaws in the selection and the appointed candidate is not an attack on his service or his patriotism. The defence forces have by nature a very 'unfair' pyramid structure, and are not obligated by PC reasons to promote people into positions they are not fit to serve.
Plenty of officers find themselves getting 'parked', some accept it while others use lobbying to climb. This is not a mere promotion we are talking about (no one is "promoted" to Chief of Air Force), it is an appointment.
Men may come , men may go, But we need More sqn's in IAF, IAF need to place interim order for atleast 40 – 60 nos jets ( f-16 / gripen / mig-35),due to we face many losses in fighter jets in accidents & already we are in sqn depletion , i wonder no one is taking care or worry about motherland which faces danger with dragons .
Good to see some pomp and ceremony.
Why is it such a good thing to have a fighter pilot at the helm always? The force, if anything, needs fresh, new perspectives all the time. We really should have a rotation system between the groups – fighter, helis, transports, etc.
The previous chief made serious moves to redress the serious lack of decent choppers in the IAF – a serious problem ignored by the “superior” fighters.
For the anon who has attempted two more ill-concieved ramblings to overcome his original guilt – for starters the CAS is not addressed as Shri … and just for your information I know the new CAS well enough to vouch for his professional acumen and wcapability.I wonder on what basis have you made those totally ridiculous remarks against him?You seem to be a civilian who has worked closely with the Defence services(always feeling jealous on the sides)and if you really are a Serviceman – you should be ashamed for being so uncharitable to someone who has served for almost 40 years in uniform.In anonymity you have attempted to malign a good officer,without even waiting to see him function at the helm.Therefore your comments deserve all the contempt that they should.And yes – I am not from the IAF but I know the Air Marshal well enough to tell you that he wore the uniform at the age of 11(as a Sainik school cadet) – an age when perhaps you were still sh****g in your pants!
PV Naik is a hard as nails officer unlike some of the internet wannabe’s like Prasun.
hello guys, i agree with first comment that AFCS looks totally out of shape. He may be ( and probably is ) an excellant fighter pilot but he needs to control his aloo parathas. BTW for the commenter who said he is from Sanik School at 14 so am I and today at 50 my waist line will put half u guys to shame. Has anyone seen pics of Admiral Arun Prakash when he took over as CNS ? Fit as a fiddle.
Regards
Ps : Arun Prakash wrote me of so there is no love lost.
Guys there can be a variety of issues which make a person round around the middle – before knowing the reasons, I would not go out on a limb and dub the CAS an aloo paratha lover.
There was this Col of the special forces whom a visiting TV crew nicknamed rolly polly as they thought he was like them, all fat and happy. He'd just been through a gruelling operation to remove a stomach tumor.
So my advice to you lot would be to judge Naik by his actions and deeds not his waistline.