{{Short description|Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, India}} {{infobox military person | honorific_prefix = Air Marshal | name = Jonnalagedda Chalapati | honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=IND|PVSM|AVSM|VSM|ADC}} | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = File:Air Marshal J Chalapati VSM Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Air Command.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} death date first, then birth date --> | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} death date first, then birth date --> | death_place = | burial_place = | burial_label = | burial_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} --> | birth_place = Andhra Pradesh, India | allegiance = {{flag|India}} | branch = {{air force|India}} | service_years = 1983–2023<ref name="jchalapati"/> | service_years_label = Years&nbsp;of&nbsp;service | rank = 24px Air Marshal | service_number = 17358<ref name="jchalapati"/> | unit = | commands = Southern Air Command<br/>Air Force Academy<br/>AFS Bagdogra | battles = | battles_label = | awards = Param Vishisht Seva Medal<br>Ati Vishisht Seva Medal<br>Vishisht Seva Medal | spouse = | relations = | parents = | other_work = | signature = | memorials = | signature_size = | signature_alt = }}

'''Air Marshal Jonnalagedda Chalapati''', PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC is a retired officer of the Indian Air Force. He served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), Southern Air Command. He assumed the office on October 3, 2021, succeeding Air Marshal Manavendra Singh.<ref name="AOCinC_SAC">{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/air-marshal-jchalapatitakes-over-as-sac-chief/article36823064.ece|title= Air Marshal J.Chalapati takes over as SAC chief |work=The Hindu|date=2021-10-04}}</ref>

==Early life and education== Jonnalagedda Chalapati graduated from the Hyderabad Public School in 1980.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dammala |first=Rachel |date=2023-06-05 |title=Hyderabad Public School: A Century of Leadership and Excellence |work=Deccan Chronicle |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/education/040623/hyderabad-public-school-centenary.html}}</ref> He is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadagwasla and Air Force Academy, Hyderabad. He has completed his National Defence Course from Bangladesh and master's degree in Military Studies from King's College London.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/chalapati-takes-over-as-air-officer-commandinginchief-of-southern-air-command/2172533|title=Chalapati takes over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Air Command|date=2021-10-04|publisher=Outlook India}}</ref>

==Career== Jonnalagedda Chalapati was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force on December 22, 1983. He has flying experience on various aircraft including HAL Tejas.<ref name="jchalapati"/><ref name="iaf-sac">{{cite web|url=https://indianairforce.nic.in/southern-air-command/|title=AOC-in-C-SAC|publisher=Indian Air Force|access-date=2021-10-03}}</ref>

Chalapati is a Qualified Flying Instructor and an Experimental Test Pilot and has about 3311 hrs of operational flight experience. He had served as a test pilot at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited working with DRDO on various projects. He has held various appointments including Command of an Operational Squadron, commanded the AFS Bagdogra. He served as the Project Director (Flight Test) at National Flight Test Center, Aeronautical Development Agency. He was the Commandant at Air Force Academy, Dundigal.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-10-16 |title=New Commandant of IAF Academy takes charge |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/new-commandant-of-iaf-academy-takes-charge/article29719001.ece |access-date=2024-08-18 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

In August 2020, he served as the Senior Air Staff Officer for the Southern Air Command.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/2020/aug/04/air-marshal-chalapati-joins-southern-air-command-2178717.html|title= Air Marshal Chalapati joins Southern Air Command |publisher=New Indian Express|date=2020-08-04}}</ref><ref name="jchalapati">{{cite web|url=https://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/17358|title=Air Marshal Jonnalagedda Chalapati − Bharat Rakshak|publisher=Bharat Rakshak|access-date=2021-10-04}}</ref>

He superannuated on March 31, 2023 and was succeeded by Air Marshal Balakrishnan Manikantan as AOC-in-C, Southern Air Command.<ref>{{Cite news |last=T 6656 |first=Nandakumar |date=2023-05-02 |title=Air Marshal B. Manikantan takes over as AOC-in-C, SAC |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/air-marshal-b-manikantan-takes-over-as-aoc-in-c-sac/article66803556.ece |access-date=2024-08-18 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

== Awards and decorations == During his career, Jonnalagedda Chalapati has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2024, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022, Vishisht Seva Medal in 2012 for his service.<ref name="jchalapati"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1792624|title=President approves 384 Gallantry Awards and other defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel on Republic Day|publisher=PIB|date=2022-01-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1999669|title=75th Republic Day: President approves Gallantry awards to 80 Armed Forces personnel, including 12 posthumous|work=PIB|date=2024-01-25}}</ref>

{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |- |colspan='4'|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Param_Vishisht_Seva_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=106}} {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=106}} {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Vishisht_Seva_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=106}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND_Samanya_Seva_medal.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND_Siachen_Glacier_Medal_Ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND_Sainya_Seva_Medal_Ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=75yearmedal.svg|width=106}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 50th Anniversary Independence medal.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND_30_Years_Long_Service_Ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 20YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 9YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|width=106}} |}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |- |Param Vishisht Seva Medal |Ati Vishisht Seva Medal |Vishisht Seva Medal | |- |Samanya Seva Medal |Siachen Glacier Medal |Sainya Seva Medal |75th Independence Anniversary Medal |- |- |50th Independence Anniversary Medal |30 Years Long Service Medal |20 Years Long Service Medal |9 Years Long Service Medal |}

== Personal life == Jonnalagedda Chalapati is married to Smitha Gayatri Jonnalagedda who was previously the President of Air Force Wives Welfare Association (Regional). The couple is blessed with 2 children.<ref name="iaf-sac"/>

== References == {{Reflist|30em}}

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}}{{Succession box | title = Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Air Command | years = 3 October 2021 – 31 March 2023 | before = Manavendra Singh | after = Balakrishnan Manikantan }}{{Succession box | title = Senior Air Staff Officer – Southern Air Command | years = 1 August 2020 – 2 October 2021 | before = Gurcharan Singh Bedi | after = Surendra Kumar Indoria }}{{Succession box | title = Commandant – Air Force Academy | years = 14 October 2019 – 31 July 2020 | before = Arvindra Singh Butola | after = Vipin Indira Panabhan Nayar }} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chalapati, Jonnalagedda}} Category:Indian Air Force air marshals Category:Recipients of the Vishisht Seva Medal Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Telugu people Category:People from Andhra Pradesh Category:Commandants of the Air Force Academy (India) Category:Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Category:Air Force Academy (India) alumni