A 1985 Viral Pic And 2 Young Coursemates, Who Are Now Army, Air Force Chiefs

Two young officers who walked out of India's elite military academy over four decades ago are now at the helm of the country's armed forces. A 1985 photograph from the National Defence Academy has now gone viral, in a throwback of sorts, showing them beginning their military careers.

The two officers are Army chief General Dhiraj Seth and the next chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit. But this isn't just about their brilliant leadership. This is about a friendship that stood the test of time and changing challenges.

In the widely circulated image, the two young passouts of the 69th course are seen walking out of the NDA in December 1985. They were likely 19 or 20 at that time.

Back then, few could have imagined that over 40 years later, these two coursemates would rise to the highest ranks of India's armed forces. Today, one commands the Indian Army, while the other is poised to take command of the Indian Air Force.

General Seth assumed office as the 31st chief of the Indian Army on June 30, 2026. Air Marshal Dixit will take over as the Air Force chief from Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on October 31.

At NDA, the young cadets were in the Foxtrot Squadron, one of the premier squadrons where they underwent pre-commissioning training. This is perhaps the first time in military history that two coursemates from the same NDA course and squadron are assuming the roles of Army chief and Air Force chief simultaneously.

Air Marshal Dixit was later commissioned into the combat stream of the Indian Air Force. As a fighter pilot, he possesses over 3,500 hours of flying experience across various fighter aircraft, including the Mirage-2000, MiG, Jaguar, Hawk, and Tejas.

Over the years, he has participated in military operations such as 'Operation Safed Sagar' and 'Operation Rakshak', and later held senior command and staff positions.

He served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, and subsequently as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff.

His coursemate, General Seth, commanded units ranging from armoured regiments and brigades to counter-insurgency forces and high-level formations. Before becoming the Army chief, he headed the South Western Command and the Southern Command. He later served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.