I grew up in an Air Force home—ears tuned to jet roar, eyes set on khaki and blue. Life took me into finance, not flying, but the pull of the Indian Air Force never faded. In 2012, a chance click to my father’s profile on Bharat-Rakshak opened a door that never shut. Since then, I’ve spent thousands of hours with gazettes, logbooks, memoirs and photographs to stitch together stories of the Indian Air Force—carefully, respectfully, and with the help of a generous community of veterans and families.
IAFHistory.in began in 2023 as a way to organise that work—unit histories, aircraft journeys, base stories, and the people who held the line. It’s a living archive, updated as new knowledge surfaces and old memories find their way home.
Recognition
- Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Commendation — August 2024 for contributions to preserving and promoting Indian Air Force history.
- AOC-in-C Commendation — 2025, a humbling encouragement from the field formations that inspire much of this work.
Writing & media — selected examples
- Podcast: Conversation on NDTV with Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som on the MiG-21’s legacy and the IAF’s evolution.
- Documentary: Kargil 1999: The Untold Story of the Indian Air Force (DocuBay original) — contributed archival research and appeared on camera; available on Amazon Prime Video, Airtel Xstream, JioFiber and Tata Play.
- Book: RAF India to Vayu Bhawan: The History of Air Headquarters — launched in Sept 2024; author royalties donated to the IAF Benevolent Association.
- Essays & op-eds: Writing in The Print and The Times of India on the IAF’s evolution, leadership, training and procurement history.
- Official contribution: Historical chapter for the IAF publication Indian Air Force in its Centennial Decade (2023).
Talks & lectures (highlights)
- Addressed ~2,200 cadets and officers at the National Defence Academy (Apr 2025): Men of Fortitude in the Indian Air Force.
- Lectures at Air Force Academy, AFS Bidar and AFS Gwalior (Apr 2024): Marshal Arjan Singh’s leadership; IAF vs PAF in the East in 1971.
- Sessions at 5 Wing, Kalaikunda; SASO Conference, Air HQ; and public forums on preserving military aviation history.
Professional & education
I began my career at McKinsey & Company, moved to Kubera Partners, and since 2012 have served as a Managing Director at Samara Capital. My academic training includes an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University), an MS in Finance, and the CFA charter.
With gratitude
This work stands on many generous shoulders. I’m grateful to the aviation history community—especially Jagan Pillarisetti, K.S. Nair, Angad Singh and Saurav Chordia—and to the many IAF veterans and families who share memories, photographs and corrections. Above all, Shweta—for patience, encouragement and time.
Get in touch
If you have a photograph, a logbook page, a memory—or a correction—I’d love to hear from you. Every detail helps complete the picture. You can reach me via the contact form on this site or on X.