By Raju Vernekar
Mumbai, Nov 30:
Rear Admiral Kunal Singh Rajkumar took over as Chief Staff Officer (Operations) of the Western Naval Command from Rear Admiral Janak Bevli, who was posted as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air), New Delhi on Tuesday.
Rear Admiral Rajkumar was commissioned into the Indian Navy in January 1991. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (77 Course), Wellington, Tamil Nadu,
Joint Services Command and Staff College, UK, College of Defence Management, Secunderabad, Telangana and National Defence College, New Delhi.
A Navigation and Direction specialist, his afloat appointments include: Navigating Officer of IN ships Khukri, Jyoti, Delhi and Mysore. His Command tenures include command of Guided Missile Corvette INS Khukri and Guided Missile Frigate INS Sahyadri.
He also served as the Fleet Navigating Officer of the Western Fleet. His staff appointments include: the Joint Director at Directorate of Personnel, Principal Director Network Centric Operations and Principal Director Naval Operations at Naval Headquarters, as well as Commodore Training at Headquarters Southern Naval Command. On promotion to the Flag rank in Aug 2021, he took over duties of Assistant Chief Integrated Defence Staff INT-B under Defence Intelligence Agency at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff.
Rear Admiral A N Pramod assumes charge as FOMA
In another development, Rear Admiral AN Pramod assumed charge as Flag Officer Commanding, Maharashtra Naval area (FOMA) from Rear Admiral Sandeep Mehta, who was posted as the Assistant Chief of Carrier Projects and Assistant Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition, New Delhi.
Rear Admiral Sandeep Mehta handed over the baton of FOMA to Rear Admiral AN Pramod at an elegant ceremonial parade held at INS Kunjali Parade ground in South Mumbai.
Commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 01, 1990, Rear Admiral Pramod is a qualified Naval Air Operations Officer and a Communication and Electronic Warfare Specialist. He is an alumnus of the prestigious Naval Academy, Goa, the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and the Naval War College, Goa. He also commanded IN ships Abhay, Shardul and Satpura, and the Naval Air Station, INS Utkrosh. He was the Fleet Operations Officer, Western Fleet, and tenanted the appointments of Deputy Commandant, INA and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air).