Air Marshal C Harikumar took over as AOC-in-C, Western Air Command (WAC), on January 1, 2017. Air Marshal Harikumar was commissioned in the IAF in the year 1979. A Qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader, he has over 3,300 hours of flying. He has done instructional tenures at Fighter Training Wing, TACDE and College of Air Warfare. He is a graduate of Defence Services Staff College and National Defence College. He has commanded a MiG-21 Sqn, TACDE and a front line fighter base. His staff appointments include Ops-1A, Air-I at HQ WAC and Deputy Director Air Staff Inspection, Director Operations (Joint Planning) and Assistant Chief of the Air Staff Operations (Offensive) at Air HQ and Senior Air Staff Officer at HQ South Western Air Command.

The Air Marshal was AOC-in-C HQ Eastern Air Command (EAC) prior to his present appointment. He was awarded CAS commendation in October 1997, Vishisht Seva Medal in January 2005, Vayu Sena Medal in January 2011 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in January 2016.