about Air Mshl BN Gokhale, PVSM, AVSM, VM (RETD)
Air Marshal Bhushan Nilkanth Gokhale, PVSM AVSM VM was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in June 1968 in fighter stream. He has flown over 3500 hours on a variety of combat and trainer aircraft. The Air Marshal has seen active operations during the 1971 Indo-Pak hostilities on both Eastern and Western fronts. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and Fighter Combat Leader from the prestigious Tactics and Combat Development Establishment.
Air Marshal Gokhale has held a variety of operational command and staff appointments during his career. His operational assignments include command of a frontline fighter squadron in which he took active part in the Siachin Operations and had commanded a premier airbase during the Kargil Operations. The staff appointments include tenure as Directing Staff at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and as Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Operations) during Op Parakram, launched after the attack on Parliament in Dec 2001.
The Air Marshal has had assignments abroad as Flying Instructor in Iraq from 1977 to 1979 and as the Defence Adviser at Indian Embassy in Egypt from 1994 to 1998. He has functioned as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Training Command prior to taking over as the Vice Chief of Air Staff at Air Headquarters. During this tenure he had served as a nominated Member on the Boards of two Defense PSUs, namely Bharat Electronics Ltd and Bharat Dynamics Ltd. Air Marshal BN Gokhale retired as the Vice Chief on 31st Dec 2007.
The Air Marshal is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College and is M Sc, M Phil from Madras University. He is also an alumnus of the Air War College, USA and a Fellow of Aeronautical Society of India. He is a recipient of the Presidential awards, Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and the Vayu Sena Medal.
On retirement, Air Marshal Gokhale has been appointed Consultant to the Principle Scientific Advisor to the Government of India and also to Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO). For his post retirement contribution in the Indigenous development of Strategic systems and those for Low Intensity Conflict, he has also been awarded the prestigious Agni award recently, on 11th May 2013, known as the National Technology Day. He has also worked in the National Security Council and is a visiting Member to the Union Public Service Commission, New Delhi. Since May 2011 the Air Marshal has been appointed as a Member of the All India Council for Technical Education, Western Region. In May 2010, the Air Marshal was detailed as the Chairman with full judicial powers, to investigate into the tragic Air India Express accident at Mangalore, in which 158 lives were lost.
Air Marshal Gokhale is on the Governing Council of Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune and the Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies. He is the Chairman of Maharashtra Education Society and also of Maharashtriya Mandal Education Society. He is a Founder Member of the recently established Pune International Center. Since Sep 2012 he has also taken over as the Chairman, Civil Aviation Committee at Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA). He has taken over as Director of Centre for Advanced Strategic Studies, Pune since September, 2013.
Fond of music and reading, the Air Marshal has a unique collection of paper currencies from different countries around the world. He is married to Mrs Meghana Gokhale and they have two sons. As a couple they support a number of social and welfare activities.