Bengaluru: Air Marshal Samir Jayasinha Pendse Monday took over as Senior Air Staff Officer (Saso) of the Indian Air Force’s Training Command in Bengaluru. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, he was commissioned into the flying branch on Dec 16, 1989, and has logged more than 5,100 hours of accident-free helicopter flying.Across his 36-year career, he has led two IAF bases, an advance HQ and a frontline helicopter unit, and has served on a UN mission in Sudan. Before this posting, he was Inspector General (Air) with the BSF. He is a recipient of the Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) and the Vishisht Seva Medal.
