New Delhi, April 30

Former Chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Idris Lateef died at his home in Hyderabad on Monday. He was 94.Lateef was Chief of the Indian Air Force from September 1978 to August 1981. The Air Chief Marshal was involved in various far-reaching policy and equipment-related decisions as he slowly rose in hierarchy. At some stages of his career, he was involved in the induction of Jaguar fighter jets, MiG 25 (a spy plane) and MiG 23. The MI-series attack helicopters and the AN 32 transport planes started fructifying while he was the Chief.On retirement, he served as Governor of Maharashtra, the Lieutenant Governor of Goa and finally as Ambassador to France from April 1985 to April 1988. His wife Bilkees Lateef died in October last year. — TNS