Rear Admiral: Rear Admiral Ajay Theophilus takes command as FOGA | India News

PANAJI: Rear Admiral Ajay Theophilus, the first Indian pilot to land the MiG-29K on INS Vikramaditya, has been appointed as the Flag Officer Commanding Goa Area (FOGA). He took over from Rear Admiral Vikram Menon at INS Hansa.

Prior to taking command as FOGA, Theophilus served as the deputy commandant of the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala.
Theophilus joined the Indian Navy in 1987 and after being selected for the pilot’s course, he joined the fighter stream of naval aviation. As a naval pilot, he has flown the Kiran, HPT-32, MiG-21, Sea Harrier and MiG-29K aircraft and is a qualified flying instructor for the Sea Harrier and MiG-29K aircraft. He has over 3,000 hours of flying with 1,000 hours on Sea Harriers and 700 hours on MiG-29K.

The Indian Navy had picked Theophilus to head the MiG-29K fighter aircraft project and after completing the MiG-29K flying training in Russia, he commissioned the squadron. He also led the team for the trials and testing of the MiG-29Ks, and later, led the squadron for integration with the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.
He has also served as the Captain (Air) of INS Vikramaditya and has commanded INS Trinkat, and the frigates INS Talwar followed by INS Tarkash.
On taking charge, Theophilus paid homage to the personnel who made the supreme sacrifice in service to the Nation by placing a floral wreath at the War Memorial at INS Gomantak, Goa.