- Wednesday, February 26, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
ADMIRAL R Hari Kumar on Tuesday (30) took over as India’s new navy chief, succeeding Admiral Karambir Singh who superannuated after a tenure spanning 30 months. Kumar said it was a matter of great honour for him to take charge as the chief of the naval staff.
“Indian Navy’s focus is on our national maritime interests and challenges. I would put in my best efforts to take the navy further in that direction building upon achievements and accomplishments of my predecessors,” he said after receiving the guard of honour at South Block Lawns in New Delhi.
Kumar, 59, is an alumnus of the prestigious National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. He was commissioned into the Indian Navy on January 1, 1983.
In a long career spanning more than 38 years, Kumar has commanded Coast Guard Ship C-01, IN Ships Nishank, Kora, Ranvir and aircraft carrier INS Viraat. A Gunnery specialist, he has served in several key posts, including fleet operations officer (FOO) and fleet gunnery officer (FGO) 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 HQWNC, naval advisor to the government of Seychelles, UN Mission in Somalia (UNOSOM II) at Mogadishu and training commander of INS Dronacharya.
As a flag officer, the new navy chief has been the commandant of the Naval War College in Goa, flag officer sea training (FOST), flag officer commanding Western Fleet (FOCWF), chief of staff (COS), Western Naval command (WNC), controller personnel services (CPS) and chief of personnel (COP) at naval headquarters.
The Kerala-born Kumar was the flag officer commanding-in-chief (FOCinC), WNC, Mumbai, before taking over the chief of the naval staff.
