List of Indian Navy Admirals, Check Name, Tenure From 1947 to 2024
The List of Indian Navy Admirals is important for candidates preparing for defense exams. Check here for the complete list of Indian Navy Admirals along with their tenure in the office.
Abhinandan Kumar18 Apr, 2024
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List of Indian Navy Admirals: The Indian Navy is the navy part of the Indian Armed Forces and is a very strong maritime force. Its primary function is to protect India's business interests at sea, keep its territory safe, and keep its long coastline safe.
The Indian Navy is a well-structured force led by the Chief of Naval Staff (Admiral), a four-star officer who reports to the civilian Defence Secretary and the military Chief of Defence Staff. A list of Indian Navy chief Admirals is very important for the candidates to remember who are preparing for the defense exams. In this article, we will be discussing the complete list of Indian Navy Admirals served and their respective tenures.Who is a Chief of Naval Staff?
The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) is the professional head of the Indian Navy, the naval branch of the Indian Armed Forces. It is the highest-ranking officer position in the Indian Navy. The position is abbreviated as CNS. The CNS is a four-star officer and holds the rank of Admiral. The CNS reports to the civilian Defence Secretary and the military Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on administrative and operational matters, respectively. The CNS is a member of the National Security Council, Defence Planning Committee, and Defence Acquisition Council. The CNS is responsible for the operational and administrative control of the Indian Navy. This includes command of all personnel, ships, submarines, and aircraft of the Navy. The CNS is also responsible for advising the Government of India on all naval matters. Also Check, Indian Navy Rank and InsigniaList of Indian Navy Admirals
We have provided below the complete list of Indian Navy Admirals along with their respective tenure in the office.| S No | Name of the Admiral | Tenure | Number of Days Served | |
| From | To | |||
| 1. | Rear Admiral J.T.S. Hall | August 15, 1947 | August 14, 1948 | 364 |
| 2. | Admiral Sir Edward Parry | August 15, 1948 | October 13, 1951 | 1155 |
| 3. | Admiral Sir Mark Pizey | October 14, 1951 | July 21, 1955 | 1379 |
| 4. | Vice-Admiral Sir Stephen Carlill | July 22, 1955 | April 21, 1958 | 1003 |
| 5. | Vice-Admiral R.D. Katari | April 22, 1958 | June 4, 1962 | 1499 |
| 6. | Vice Admiral B.S. Soman | June 05, 1962 | March 3, 1966 | 1370 |
| 7. | Admiral A.K. Chatterjee | March 04, 1966 | February 27, 1970 | 1449 |
| 8. | Admiral S.M. Nanda | February 28, 1970 | February 28, 1973 | 1095 |
| 9. | Admiral S.N. Kohli | March 01, 1973 | February 28, 1976 | 1095 |
| 10. | Admiral J.L. Cursetji | March 01, 1976 | February 28, 1979 | 1095 |
| 11. | Admiral R.L. Pereira | March 01, 1979 | February 28, 1982 | 1095 |
| 12. | Admiral O.S. Dawson | March 01, 1982 | November 30, 1984 | 1000 |
| 13. | Admiral R.H. Tahiliani | December 01, 1984 | November 30, 1987 | 1095 |
| 14. | Admiral J.G. Nadkarni | December 01, 1987 | November 30, 1990 | 1095 |
| 15. | Admiral Ramdas | December 01, 1990 | September 30, 1993 | 1036 |
| 16. | Admiral V.S. Shekhawat | October 01, 1993 | September 30, 1996 | 1095 |
| 17. | Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat | October 01, 1996 | December 30, 1998 | 1174 |
| 18. | Admiral Sushil Kumar | December 31, 1998 | December 29, 2001 | 1095 |
| 19. | Admiral Madhvendra Singh | December 29, 2001 | July 31, 2004 | 975 |
| 20. | Admiral Arun Prakash | August 01, 2004 | October 30, 2006 | 820 |
| 21. | Admiral Suresh Mehta | October 30, 2006 | August 31, 2009 | 1034 |
| 22. | Admiral Nirmal Verma | August 31, 2009 | August 31, 2012 | 1096 |
| 23. | Admiral Devender Kumar Joshi | August 31, 2012 | February 26, 2014 | 543 |
| 24. | Vice Admiral RK Dhowan | February 26, 2014 | May 31, 2016 | 827 |
| 25. | Admiral Sunil Lanba | May 31, 2016 | May 31, 2019 | 1095 |
| 26. | Admiral Karambir Singh | May 31, 2019 | November 30, 2021 | 916 |
| 27. | Admiral R. Harikumar | November 30, 2021 | Present | - |
Important Points About Indian Navy Admirals
Below we have provided a few important points related to the Indian Navy Admirals, which may be helpful for candidates preparing for defense exams.- They are appointed by the President of India, on the advice of the Ministry of Defence.
- Upon gaining independence, the head of the Indian Navy was the "Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy."
- In 1948 the title transitioned to "Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy" on June 21st.
- In 1950, With India became a republic, the title was shortened to "Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief."
- In the year 1955, the "Commanders-In-Chief (Change in Designation) Act" established the current title, "Chief of the Naval Staff."
- Before 1968, the position was held by a three-star Vice Admiral. The rank was elevated to the four-star rank of a full Admiral.
- The Chief of Naval Staff typically serves for three years or until the age of 62, whichever comes first. An exception is Vice Admiral Ram Dass Katari, who served the longest at four years and 43 days.
List of Indian Navy Admirals FAQs
Q1. What is the 5 star rank in the Indian Navy?
Ans. Reserved for ceremonial or wartime appointments, the highest honorary five-star rank in the Indian Navy is Fleet Admiral.
Q2. What is the tenure of the Admiral of the Indian Navy?
Ans. The Indian Navy chief holds office for three years or until they become sixty-two, whichever comes first.
Q3. What was the name of the naval operation that was conducted in the Kargil War against Pakistan?
Ans. During the 1999 Kargil War, the Indian Navy conducted Operation Talwar, also known as Operation Sword.
Q4. Who is the father of the Indian Navy?
Ans. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who was born on February 19, 1630, is considered as the ‘Father of the Indian Navy’.
Q5. Who is the current Chief of Naval Staff of India?
Ans. On November 30, 2021, Admiral R. Hari Kumar assumed command as Chief of Naval Staff (CNS).
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