Col. Tarun Mitra is a result-driven transformational leader with over 30 years of rich and comprehensive experience in various fields with the Indian Army. He is motivated, goal-driven, with strong work ethics, continuously striving for improvement, with an eye for details, and committed to offering quality work.

Col. Tarun Mitra is a qualified psychologist from the prestigious Defence Institute of Psychological Research, New Delhi.

He has had the distinction of twice serving as a psychologist on service selection boards at Selection Centre East, Allahabad, and carries with him vast experience in the field of psychological technique.

A triple postgraduate, he has been involved in the training of service aspirants at various levels and possesses the qualities to train and nurture the aspirants desirous of joining the Armed Forces as a commissioned officer.

A veteran of the Indian Army, Col. Nair has over three and a half decades of experience in various facets of the services, including operations, training, and human resource management. A certified soft skills trainer with proficiency in communication skills, personal interview techniques, general awareness quotient, and motivational talks. He has trained several batches of SSB aspirants, both in service and budding young NCC candidates. Subject: Personality Enhancement Coach

Col. Sachit Sardana, an upstanding veteran with 37 years of exemplary service. He belongs to Delhi and has studied in St Joseph’s Convent School and KV No.1 Faridabad. He is a product of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and got commissioned into an Air Defence Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1984 having passed out from Indian Military Academy, Dehradun in 1984. He has held various important Command, Staff and Instructional appointments during his service career in the Indian Army, including command of an Air Defence Regiment in the intense operational environs of J & K.

He has also served abroad as a military observer with the United Nations.

He has been an outstanding Interviewing Officer with 22 SSB Bhopal and as an assessor has had interviewed over 1300 candidates while in the Selection Centre.

He is exceptionally skilled at understanding and analysing the candidates holistically, with a keen lens for identifying potential shortcomings and suggesting improvement areas and personality profile.

An alumnus of Indian Military Academy, Col P K Gaur got commissioned into Army Ordnance Corps in June 1993. He has put in 30 yrs of exemplary service in Indian Army. He is an Ammunition Technical Officer, Materials/Logistics Manager with specialisation in Supply Chain management and Transportation Model management and a Human Resource Manager.

In addition he is a qualified analyst of human behaviour and evaluator of personality profile of candidates seeking selection in the Indian Armed Forces. He is a trained assessor, a GTO who has served twice in Service Selection Board, first at Bhopal and second as a senior GTO at Allahabad. He has assessed more than 2000 candidates during his tenure at selection Centre.

Apart from assessment he has also been involved in various studies like finding potential amongst troops of becoming an officer in Indian Armed Forces and Inter Personal relations in army.

Col P K Gaur is competent to analyse Manpower skills and Efficiency Level and develop Personality Profile of Individuals. He has a natural flair of imparting training and molding the personality for betterment and enhancing chances of selection in SSB.

Captain Godara (Retd.), an accomplished individual with a distinguished career, brings a wealth of experience to our institution.

He commenced his educational journey at the prestigious Sainik School Chittorgarh, demonstrating early on his dedication to excellence. His commitment to serving his nation led him to join the 73rd National Defence Academy (NDA) in January 1985, where he embarked on a remarkable military career.

In 1989, he was commissioned into the Executive branch of the Indian Navy, marking the beginning of his exceptional service to the country. Specializing in Anti Submarine Warfare and Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defence (NBCD), he has contributed significantly to national security.

Throughout his career, Captain Godara (Retd.) has served on numerous naval vessels and shore establishments at various naval ports. Notably, his participation in the GTO (Group Testing Officer) course in 2001 marked a pivotal moment in his career, leading to his involvement in the selection of officers for the Armed Forces at various Service Selection Boards (SSBs).

He has held key positions, including Senior GTO roles at Bhopal SSB, Coimbatore, Visakhapatnam, and Kolkata, demonstrating his leadership and expertise in officer selection. In 2013, he was appointed as the Nodal Officer for setting up the Naval Selection Board in Visakhapatnam, where he played a crucial role in establishing testing facilities and enhancing the candidates’ experience.

In 2016, he assumed the role of Project Director and Senior GTO at SSB Kolkata, where he excelled in creating a top-tier administrative and assessment infrastructure, earning him a commendation from the Chief of Naval Staff.

Captain Godara (Retd.) has also shared his knowledge and experience as an instructor for multiple Army, Navy, and Coast Guard GTOs, and has undertaken assessment duties at the Coast Guard Selection Centre in NOIDA.

His commitment extended to his role as Officer-in-Charge of the Officer Induction Section at the Directorate of Manpower Recruitment at Naval Headquarters for three years. In this capacity, he managed all Naval SSBs and the entire officer induction process, showcasing his administrative prowess.

Beyond his military duties, he contributed to mentoring NCS (Naval Children School) students aspiring to join the Armed Forces. He established a GTO ground for NCS New Delhi and conducted organized SSB coaching for NCS students.

In his final posting before superannuation, after over 34 years of active service, he served as AMS NAVY at HQ DG NCC, New Delhi. During this time, he played a pivotal role in training, motivational lectures, and workshops at OTA Kamptee and OTA Gwalior, and contributed to mentoring and shortlisting NCC ‘C’ Certificate candidates during various all India NCC camps.

Captain Godara (Retd.) embodies excellence in service to the nation and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our institution, making him a valuable asset to the AFPA faculty.

Group Captain D K Tanwar (Retired) – A Veteran in Administrative and ATC Branch With a remarkable 32-year career in the Indian Air Force, Group Captain D K Tanwar (Retired) brings a wealth of experience in the fields of Administration and Air Traffic Services. His illustrious journey includes serving in various vital administrative capacities and air traffic control functions.

Notably, as the head of the training school at the prestigious Defence Institute of Psychological Research in New Delhi, Group Captain Tanwar played a pivotal role in shaping the careers of numerous Indian and international defense officers, grooming them into proficient assessors. Many of the psychologists, GTOs, and Interviewing officers he trained went on to conduct selections at their respective selection boards (SSBs/AFSBs). His contribution is exemplified by his personal involvement in screening approximately 15,000 candidates at stage I screening tests, a feat that sets him apart.

During his distinguished career, Group Captain Tanwar served as an Interviewing Officer for about eight years, evaluating and identifying promising candidates for officer roles in the defense services at Services Selection Boards and Air Force Selection Boards (AFSBs). Over the course of his tenure, he conducted around 8,000 personality interviews using advanced interview techniques, making a significant impact on the selection process.

Beyond his military service, Group Captain Tanwar has dedicated over a decade to nurturing the personalities of aspiring defense candidates through the insights of psychology. His commitment to this noble endeavor has been steadfast, spanning multiple private training academies located in Delhi, Gurugram, and Dehradun.

Group Captain D K Tanwar (Retired) is a distinguished figure whose profound expertise and dedication have left an indelible mark on the world of defense selection and candidate grooming. His vast experience and unwavering commitment continue to shape the future of defense aspirants, making him a highly respected authority in the field.

An Alumnus of Air Force Academy, Hyderabad, Gp Capt G Senthil Kumar, a post graduate in Physics, was commissioned into the Education branch of the Indian Air Force in 1990. During his career spanning over more than three decades, the officer has specialised himself in the field of Human Resource Development viz; selection and training of officers, recruitment and training of airmen and HR management & administration. He was awarded commendation by the Chief of the Air Staff for his exemplary service in 2011.

He is a qualified assessor of manifested Human Behaviour as well as latent potential towards a particular pattern of outward behaviour through psychological assessment technique from the prestigious Defence Institute of Psychological Research, New Delhi. He has also undergone a capsule course in Interview Technique from Defence Institute of Psychological research to assess the Human Behaviour aspects through the structured process of Interview.

He has the distinction of having served in all aspects of Human Resource Development within Indian Air Force viz; Training of both Officers and Airmen, Selection of Officers at Selection Board, Recruitment of Airmen at Central Airmen Selection Board, Administration of Sainik School and Human Resource administration pan Air Force.

His acumen in accurately analysing the latent potential as well as limitations of aspirants and his skill to guide them towards self-improvement eliminates the element of apprehension towards psychological tests and prepare them to face the same confidently.

Gp Capt G Senthil Kumar, with his vast experience in the field of assessment and training, is an ideal guide and mentor for self-improvement and growth of the aspirants to achieve their dreams and is a valuable member of team AFPA..

An alumnus of the Indian Military Academy and commissioned in Dec 1988 into Infantry Grenadiers, Col Rajiv Chauhan has an illustrious and distinguished career spanning over 3 decades as a combat Infantarian.

He took active part in myriad Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorist operations and was awarded the Chief of Army Staff Commendation for gallantry while serving with a Rashtriya Rifles Batallion.

Col Rajiv underwent training at the prestigious Defence Institute Of Psychological Research (DIPR) Timarpur New Delhi and is a qualified Group Testing Officer (GTO). He has over 8 years experience as GTO and was posted at SSB’s Bangalore and Bhopal. Rajiv has assessed over 4000 candidates of all entries in the Army.

Col Rajiv during active service was also detailed by Army Hq for 3 months to conduct Personality Development Programme to mentor Service Entry candidates at Army Education Centre at Pachmarhi. He was thereafter sent on duty to Sainik School Tilaiya also to mentor the young minds in the GTO tasks.

Having served as Joint Director Recruiting ‘A’ at Army Hq Delhi he was responsible for handling all Entries Officers Selection. This involved interaction with UPSC , conduct of SSBs, preparation of merit list and issue of joining instructions to cleared candidates for NDA, IMA, and OTA.

In addition to his accomplishments in the combat arm of Army, Col Rajiv achieved recognition as a National level Power Lifter and represented MP State in 2019 in the Masters 2 category. He continues to follow a vigorous exercise regime to improve his ranking at the national level.

With his vast knowledge and experience as GTO Mentor at AFPA , his clear, concise, honest, down to earth, and pragmatic approach is the hallmark of his mentoring and has benefited numerous aspirants.

An assessor with 25 years of experience in the Indian Navy, with 3 years as a group testing officer. He is an alumnus of the Indian Naval Academy and a President’s Gold Medallist. He holds six postgraduate degrees in management and a doctorate in psychology.

An alumnus of the Indian Military Academy, Col. Sachit is an Air Defence Gunner, having been commissioned to the Army Air Defence in 1986.

In his illustrious career spanning three decades, the officer has a wide range of experience in operations, human resource management, and logistics and has served across the length and breadth of the country in various capacities.

Col. Sachit is a qualified assessor of the Services Selection Board from the prestigious Defence Institute of Psychological Research, Timarpur, New Delhi.

In his assignment as Group Testing Officer of Selection Centre East (Prayagraj), he has screened more than 2,000 candidates and was instrumental in selecting a few of the best material for the Indian Defence Forces.

His vast experience in this field has led him to certain analyses and recommendations for the betterment of the selection process, which have been duly incorporated.

He is a qualified psychologist, having done his MSC in psychology from Bhartiya University in 2007, and is presently pursuing his post-graduation in human resource management from the prestigious NMIMS.

An alumnus of the Indian Military Academy, Col. Prashant Kamath was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery in 1991. In his career spanning over three decades, the officer has gained wide-ranging experience in active operations, human resource management, training and development, administration, logistics, and network-centric warfare. He has been awarded the Sena Medial (Gallantry) by the President of India for his action at Dras, Kargil, during Operation Vijay in 1999.

He is a qualified analyst of human behaviour and evaluator of personality through the Group Testing Technique from the prestigious Defence Institute of Psychological Research, New Delhi.

He has had the distinction of serving as an assessor at the Services Selection Board in Allahabad twice and has evaluated over 4,000 candidates. He has also conducted a number of personality development training capsules at the various Human Resource Development Centres of the Army for service aspirants.

His expertise in accurately identifying the areas of strengths and weaknesses in a personality and his skill in providing guidance towards self-reformation prepare the aspirants to face the test situations confidently.

Col. Prashant Kamath, with his vast experience as an assessor and instructor, is an ideal mentor for the character building of the aspirants and a valuable member of team AFPA.

I served in the Indian Air Force for 25 years as an in-flight navigator and a group testing officer. As a flight navigator in an AN 32 aircraft, he specialised in parachuting and supply drop operations in our border areas.

As a flight navigator, he has carried out countless drop sorties in both our eastern borders, like Arunachal Pradesh, as well as our northern borders, like Sia-chin and Aksai-chin. After his flying tenure, he served as a group testing officer at AFSB Dehradun and as a senior GTO at AFSB Mysore.

During his tenure at the selection boards, he not only assessed around 2,000 candidates but also trained other officers to become effective GTOs. He was once posted at Air Force Headquarters to manage the complete officer selection system.

The officer selection process includes everything from the issue of an advertisement to administering written tests as well as monitoring your SSB interviews.

His role continues after SSB interviews by way of monitoring medical examinations, preparing the merit list, and finally issuing joining letters to successful candidates. In fact, there are many officers currently in service who have received joining letters signed by me.

During his tenure at Air Headquarters, he was instrumental in the creation of the Air Force Common Admission Test, or AFCAT. This was part of a huge streamlining process for induction into the Air Force.

After the commencement of AFCAT, he was also involved in setting up an online portal for AFCAT. The portal was designed to serve the complete application process for AFCAT.

After his retirement, he has served as Chief Ground Instructor in two flying schools. One of them is Orient Flights in Mysore, and the other is Aviacons in Hyderabad.

To date, he continues to teach ground subjects for pilots online for their airline transport pilot’s licence. By the way, he is also a Feeling Minds and Thomas International Certified Career Counsellor. He takes immense pleasure in guiding boys and girls like you to the right career based on their personality profiles.

A man with over 30 years of distinguished service in the Army held many important appointments, including commanding officer of the artillery unit in J&K and Rajasthan. Dy. President of Services Selection Board Allahabad and also worked as an interviewing officer at SSB Bhopal. He is a qualified HR professional with a PG in management. A certified assessor and interviewer who interviewed more than 2500 aspirants at SSB and about 1000 candidates for managerial posts in the public and corporate sectors.

Belongs to Nagpur and has studied at SFS School, Bhonsala Military School, Hislop College, and the Institute of Science Nagpur.

On completion of his degree in science from the Institute of Science and his NCC ‘C’ certificate from the Nagpur NCC unit, he joined the Indian Air Force in 1980. He was commissioned as a flying pilot in the Indian Air Force on June 4, 1982. He has held various important command, staff, and instructional appointments during his service career in the Indian Air Force.

As an experienced military pilot, he has flown around 5,000 hours on Ilyushin-76, Avro, and Dornier aircraft and has flown these aircraft operationally both in India and abroad.

He has been the Flight Commander of a VVIP Squadron, the Commanding Officer of a Combat Unit, and the Commanding Officer of a Gajraj Squadron. During his tenure as Commanding Officer, 44 Squadron was adjudged the Best Transport Squadron of the IAF and was also commended by the US Air Force during the multi-national military exercise Red Flag.

Besides being the station commander, The Air Commodore has been the Air Officer Commanding of an important flying base and has the distinction of being the President of an Air Force Selection Board twice.

His staff appointments include a tenure at Air Head Quarters as Director Operations. He was awarded the Vayusena Medal by the President of India on January 26, 2010, for his distinguished service in the Indian Air Force. He was also awarded the Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar in October 2018 by the Government of Maharashtra.

Besides attending Air Staff College in Australia, he is a post-graduate of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, India, and has been an instructor for 3 years at this college. His academic qualifications include an MSc and an MPhil from Madras University.

He has held several sensitive and prestigious appointments dealing with operations, logistics, and planning. He commanded an artillery regiment in the intense operational environs of the Srinagar Valley.

A third-generation army officer with over 36 years of service in various assignments across the country and as a UN peacekeeper in Somalia. An alumnus of the NDA and IMA, he was commissioned into the Army Service Corps in June 1984.

He has had a wide range of experience in the recruitment of soldiers and officer candidate selection and has been involved in the training of personnel from recruits to senior-level officers. Logistics and supply chain management have been the mainstays of his career, but his interests and duties have been multifarious.

Besides a degree in science from JNU, the officer also holds postgraduate diplomas in public relations, industrial relations, and personnel management. He has also qualified with top honours in all military courses he has attended, including the Technical Staff Course.

Having qualified from the Defence Institute of Psychological Research, Delhi, he has served over five years as an interviewing officer in the selection centres at Allahabad (Prayagraj) and Bangalore and has conducted over 3000 live interviews.

He has also motivated and trained innumerable young men and women, particularly from the NCC, to take up a career in the armed forces and to do well in other walks of life. Six of the cadets trained by him in Maharashtra and in the Karnataka and Goa NCC Directorates have been recipients of Prime Minister’s medals in the All India Best Cadet competition held at New Delhi during Republic Day Camps.

Besides his engagement in service activities, Colonel Rakesh Nair has been a keen sportsman, with medals at the national level in equestrian events, the successful completion of the Himalayan Rally, and participation in various aero-sports. He is a former member of the National Selection Committee for the selection of Indian equestrians for the Asian Games and other international competitions.

A DRDO scientist, an alumni of the Defence Institute of Psychological Research (DIPR), worked at the Selection Centre Central (SSC), Bhopal. A psychologist par excellence in psychometric assessment, personality profiling, and training of students and employees He was designated as a consultant with the Department of Education, Tamil Nadu.

Has contributed over 650+ officers to the Armed Forces post-retirement from service. An accomplished assessor indeed. Subject: Psychometric Assessment, Psychological Test Assessment