New Delhi, July 1 -- Air Marshal PV Shivanand on Wednesday assumed charge as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the South Western Air Command (SWAC) of the Indian Air Force.

On assumption of his appointment, the Air Marshal paid homage to the Bravehearts at the South Western Air Command War memorial, a release said.

He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in December 1988. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment and Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.The Air Marshal has a cumulative flying experience of over 2800 hours on MiG-21 and the IL-76 AWACS.

During his career, the Air Marshal has spearheaded the operationalisation of key platforms...