Former IAF assistant chief Rajiva Ranjan joins olee.space as strategic defence advisor

Photonics and defense technology startup olee.space today announced the appointment of Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Rajiva Ranjan VM (Retd) as its strategic defence advisor. 

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With a distinguished career of more than 30 years in the Indian Air Force, AVM Ranjan brings unparalleled expertise in fighter operations, defense technology, and integrated warfare to leverage olee.space's efforts in developing next-generation systems for India's defence and aerospace industries.

AVM Ranjan (Retd) would be advising olee.space to build products required for the country in the field of optics and space-based defence systems. With AVM Ranjan, the startup looks forward to expediting the building of high-energy Laser Systems for multi-domain and multi-level warfare.

James Solomon, Founder & CEO, olee.space, said, “We're pleased to welcome AVM Ranjan to olee.space. His extraordinary and crisp experience in operational strategy, technology adoption in the Airforce, openness towards futuristic missions, and joint military planning will be invaluable as we design cutting-edge systems that elevate Bharat’s defence and strategic communication capabilities.”

Commissioned into the Fighter Stream of the Indian Air Force in 1987, AVM Ranjan is a Fighter Combat Leader and a Qualified Flying Instructor. He is an alumnus of the Defense Services Staff College, Wellington, and the National Defence College, New Delhi, and has acquired almost 3,850 hours of accident-free flying in 15 fighter and trainer aircraft.

Over his career, he has commanded elite operational units, including the MiG Operational Flying Training Unit and two forward air bases. He has also held several senior leadership roles, such as Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Information & Communication Technology) and Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Operations–Space).

Air Vice Marshal Rajiva Ranjan VM added, “I am delighted to guide olee.space at this exciting phase of its journey. The company’s work in photonics, laser-based communication, and anti-drone technologies has the potential to transform India’s defence preparedness. I look forward to contributing to solutions that strengthen our national security and technological self-reliance.”

A recipient of the Chief of Air Staff Commendation Award (1998, 2003) and the Vayu Sena Medal (2008), AVM Ranjan has also served as Air Attaché at the Indian Embassy in Kabul and played a pivotal role in shaping operational doctrines for the MiG-21 Bison fleet. Post-retirement, he has contributed to reforms in defence-linked engineering education and serves as a consultant on modern, integrated warfare.

Earlier this year, olee.space raised $3 million in seed funding from leading global and domestic investors, including BIG Global, IIM A Ventures, Rockstud Capital and SIDBI, enabling it to accelerate innovation in strategic photonics and defence communication. The appointment of AVM Ranjan reinforces the company’s commitment to combining cutting-edge technology with operational expertise.

olee.space builds next-generation systems in Free-Space Optical Communication (FSOC), quantum-encrypted networking, and directed energy weapons, catering to India’s defence, aerospace, and telecom sectors. Its advanced solutions include resilient systems for terrestrial, inter-satellite, and ground-to-space links, designed for low latency, maximum security, and optimised data throughput.