Verma to be Navy Chief

Vice-Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma,at present Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief FOC-in-C,Eastern Naval Command,has been designated as the next Chief of the Naval Staff. The officer will assume charge on August 31 when the present Chief of the Naval Staff,Admiral Sureesh Mehta,retires from service. Verma was commissioned in July 1970 into the Executive Branch of Indian Navy. During his 39 years of service,he has served in a variety of command,staff and instructional appointments. Verma has also commanded the countrys only aircraft carrier,the Viraat. Before taking over as FOC-in-C,Eastern Naval Command,he was Vice-Chief of the Naval Staff at the Naval Headquarters. Vice-Admiral Verma is an alumnus of Royal Naval Staff College,UK and Naval War College,USA. He also commanded the Naval Academy at Goa.