NEW DELHI: Air Marshal Jasvir Singh Mann on Sunday assumed charge as the Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) of the Western Air Command, Indian Air Force. Before this appointment, he was serving as the Director General (Weapon Systems) at Air Headquarters, the ministry of defence said in a statement.“The Air Officer is a recipient of the Presidential awards ‘Ati Vishist Seva Medal’ and ‘Vayu Sena Medal’,” it added.With his new role, Air Marshal Mann takes over one of the most strategically significant posts in the IAF’s Western theatre, which oversees critical air operations and readiness along India’s northern and western borders.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Air Marshal Jasvir Singh Mann was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force on 16 December 1989. Over his career, he has logged over 3,000 flying hours, primarily on various fighter aircraft.He is a qualified Pilot Attack Instructor and has held several key operational roles, including commanding a fighter squadron, serving as Chief Operations Officer of a forward base, and Air Officer Commanding of a premier fighter station.At the strategic level, he has directed major joint military training exercises with the Republic of Singapore Air Force in 2017 and the United States Air Force in 2018. He has also served as the Senior Officer-in-Charge Administration and as the Air Defence Commander of the Central Air Command.An alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College and the Royal College of Defence Studies, London (UK), Air Marshal Mann brings with him deep operational expertise and leadership experience across various command and staff roles within the IAF.