about Air Marshal SS Soman, PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC (Retd)
Air Marshal SS Soman PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC is a graduate of the National Defence Academy, Pune. He was commissioned in the Flying Branch of the Indian Air Force in December 1976 and has more than 3400 hours of flying on fighter aircraft.
Air Marshal Soman has held many appointments which include Commanding Officer of a Fighter Squadron, Chief Flying Instructor at Flying Instructors School and Chief Operations Officer and Air Officer Commanding at premier IAF bases. He has served as Asst Defence Adviser at the High Commission of India, Dhaka. He has also served as Director Operations (Air Defence), Dir Operations (Joint Planning), Principal Director Operations (Space) and Principal Director Flight Safety at Air Headquarters. Before his appointment as Air Officer Commanding in Chief Western Air Command, he has served as Air Defence Commander and as Senior Air Staff Officer in two different Commands of Indian Air Force. He is an alumnus of Defence Services Staff College and has graduated from Air War College, USA
The Admiral is a Fellow of The Institution of Engineers (India) and the Institute of Marine Engineers and is actively involved with both these Institutes.
The Air Mshl is a recipient of Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vayu Sena Medal and is Honorary Aide-de-Camp to the President of India.