Shillong, Sep 1 (IANS): Air Marshal C Hari Kumar on Tuesday took over as the chief of the Indian Air Force's Eastern Air Command here.

Air Warriors presented Air Marshal Kumar, who succeeded Air Marshal S.B.Deo, with a ceremonial guard of honour on assuming command.

Deo has taken over as chief of the IAF's frontline Western Air Command.

A fighter combat leader and a qualified flying instructor, Air Marshal Kumar was commissioned in the fighter stream on December 14, 1979.

Prior to taking over as Eastern Air Command, Air Marshal Kumar was senior air staff officer, at the Gandhinagar-based South Western Air Command and has held various important field and staff appointments during his distinguished service career spanning over 36 years.

Headquartered in Shillong, the Eastern Air Command's area of responsibility covers 11 eastern and northeastern states and it has permanent airbases at Chabua, Guwahati, Bagdogra, Barrackpore, Hasimara, Jorhat, Kalaikunda and Tezpur with forward airbases at Agartala, Kolkata, Panagarh and Shillong.