PUNE: Air Commodore SP Bhandare assumed the command as Air Officer commanding of 9 Base Repair Depot from Air Commodore S Anandan on March 1. On taking over, the Air Officer was presented Guard of honour by the air warriors of 9 base Repair Depot of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

In his farewell address, Air Commodore S Anandan thanked all the depot personnel for their outstanding contribution in technology demonstration, innovations, infrastructure development and improvement in depot environment.

Air Commodore Bhandare was commissioned in the Aeronautical Engineering Electronics branch of IAF on September 12, 1988. He is a Post Graduate from IIT Kharagpur in "Fiber Optics and Light Wave Engineering" and MPhil in Political Science from Osmania University. He is married to Preeti Bhandare who has assumed the responsibility of President AFWWA (Local) 9 BRD.