Admiral Hari Kumar takes over as 25th Chief of Naval Staff

Visakhapatnam: Admiral R. Hari Kumar assumed command of the Indian Navy on Tuesday as the 25th Chief of the Naval Staff. He succeeds Admiral Karambir Singh who retires upon superannuation after a career spanning over 41 years.

Admiral Hari Kumar is an alumnus of the prestigious National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. He was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 January 1983. In his career spanning over 38 years, he has commanded Coast Guard Ship C-01, IN Ships Nishank, Kora, Ranvir and the aircraft carrier INS Viraat. A gunnery specialist, he has held several key appointments, including fleet operations officer and fleet gunnery officer of Western Fleet, executive officer of INS Vipul, gunnery officer of INS Ranjit, commissioning GO of INS Kuthar and commissioning crew of INS Ranvir.

His shore appointments include command gunnery officer at HQWNC, naval advisor to the government of Seychelles, UN mission in Somalia at Mogadishu and training commander, INS Dronacharya. As a flag officer, he has served as commandant of the Naval War College at Goa, flag officer sea training, flag officer commanding Western Fleet, Chief of Staff in Western Naval Command, controller personnel services and chief of personnel at Naval headquarters.

He has also served 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 and the department of military affairs.

He was the flag officer commanding-in-chief, WNC at Mumbai, prior to taking over as the Chief of the Naval Staff.