Admiral R Hari Kumar takes charge as new Navy chief

🔴 He suceeded Admiral Karambir Singh, who has served the Navy for 41 years and has been at the helm for two years.

Admiral R Hari Kumar with Admiral Karambir Singh at South Block in New Delhi on Tuesday (Express photo by Praveen Khanna)

Admiral R Hari Kumar on Tuesday took over as the new chief of Navy as Admiral Karambir Singh, who has been at the helm for two years, retired from service.

Admiral Singh has served the Navy for 41 years.

Admiral Kumar was the Western Naval Commander before taking over as the country’s 25th Chief of Naval Staff. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the Navy on January 1, 1983. In his 38-year career he has held several prestigious positions, including commanding the Coast Guard Ship C-01, Indian Naval Ships as well as being in charge of vessels like Nishank, Kora, Ranvir and Aircraft Carrier INS Viraat.

Admiral Singh has served the Navy for 41 years (Express photo by Praveen Khanna)

He is a gunnery specialist and has held key appointments, including Fleet Operations Officer and Fleet Gunnery Officer of Western Fleet, Executive Officer (EXO) of INS Vipul, Gunnery Officer (GO) of INS Ranjit, commissioning GO of INS Kuthar and commissioning crew of INS Ranvir.

Kumar’s shore appointments include Command Gunnery Officer at HQ Western Naval Command, Naval Advisor to Government of Seychelles, UN Mission in Somalia (UNOSOM II) at Mogadishu and Training Commander, INS Dronacharya.

In his capacity of being a Flag Officer, he has been the Commandant of the Naval War College at Goa, Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST), Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet (FOCWF), Chief of Staff, Western Naval Command, Controller Personnel Services and Chief of Personnel (COP) at Naval Headquarters.

Admiral Kumar was the Western Naval Commander before taking over as the country’s 25th Chief of Naval Staff (Express photo by Praveen Khanna)

Kumar also had a stint as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee “at the critical junction during the creation of the institution of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Department of Military Affairs (DMA)”, the Navy stated.