PRAVIN TAKES OVER AS WING COMMANDER The first Asian to reach the rank of Wing Commander within the Air Training Corps (ATC) took up his post in September 2003. Pravin Ladwa, 50, took over the role following a handover ceremony at Wing HQ to mark his achievement. What makes Pravin's success story even more special is since joining the ATC aged 13 he has held every Air Cadet rank on the way to becoming Wing Commander for Coventry, Warwickshire and Birmingham.

During his time within the ATC he has been involved in a wide range of activities from 45 annual camps including visits to Malta, Cyprus and Germany, as well as qualifying as an RAF Marksman (shooting) in 1971. His time within the ATC has served him well throughout his life outside of the organisation. ATC courses such as the Initial Officers' Course and the Senior Officers' Course have helped Pravin mould a successful career.

His incredibly successful employment history with positions of distribution director of Royal Mail Midlands, Commission Operator for ELF Oil UK Ltd and his present role as managing director of his own company, Collision Centre Birmingham, are proof of that.

Pravin said: "Without doubt my time within the ATC has helped me throughout my career as I have regularly put to good use my experiences from the ATC.
"I am looking forward to the challenge of my new role and I am looking forward to working with an excellent team."

Along with a number of institutions he is a member of such as the Chartered Institute of Transport he is also a member of the Professional Pilots' Guild, appointed by HRH The Queen as an Officer in the Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve (Training) and is a member of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Panel.

He has done all this as well as being married to Jaya and having four daughters and still finds time to fit in leisure activies like badminton, cricket, abseiling and orienteering.

On top of all this Pravin enjoys helping charities and has been the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the local Gujarati Community Centre.