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List of Indian Navy Admirals | Chief of Indian Navy
The highest-ranking naval officer in the Indian Armed Forces is the Chief of Naval Staff of India. This position is responsible for leading the Indian Navy unless the Chief of Defence Staff is a navy officer. Since 1966, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) has always held the rank of full Admiral. The current Chief of the Indian Navy is Admiral R Hari Singh, who took over from Admiral Karambir Singh on November 30, 2021. Admiral R Hari Singh has served in the Indian Navy for four decades.
Knowing about Indian Navy Admirals is important for competitive exams. Questions about this topic can be found in the general awareness section of various government exams such as SSC, RRB, Bank, and Defence. Additionally, it is likely that the UPSC prelims will have one or two questions related to the Chief of the Indian Navy. This article will provide a list of Indian Navy Admirals who have held the position of Chief of Indian Navy Staff from 1947 to 2023.
List of Indian Navy Admirals – Static Gk
The Chief of the Naval Staff is the commander and the highest-ranking officer in the Indian Navy. The position is abbreviated CNS in Indian Navy cables and communication and is usually held by a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral.
| List Of Indian Navy Admirals – Chief Of Navy Staff | |
| Names of CNS | Tenure of Office |
| Rear Admiral J.T.S. Hall | August 15, 1947, to August 14 1948 |
| Admiral Sir Edward Parry | August 15, 1948, to October 13 1951 |
| Admiral Sir Mark Pizey | October 14, 1951, to 21 July 1955 |
| Vice-Admiral Sir Stephen Carlill | 22 July 1955 to April 21 1958 |
| Vice-Admiral R.D. Katari | April 22, 1958, to June 4 1962 |
| Vice Admiral B.S. Soman | June 05, 1962, to March 3 1966 |
| Admiral A.K. Chatterjee | March 04, 1966, to February 27 1970 |
| Admiral S.M. Nanda | February 28, 1970, to February 28 1973 |
| Admiral S.N. Kohli | March 01, 1973, to February 28 1976 |
| Admiral J.L. Cursetji | March 01, 1976, to February 28 1979 |
| Admiral R.L. Pereira | March 01, 1979, to February 28 1982 |
| Admiral O.S. Dawson | March 01, 1982, to November 30 1984 |
| Admiral R.H. Tahiliani | December 01, 1984, to November 30 1987 |
| Admiral J.G. Nadkarni | December 01, 1987, to November 30 1990 |
| Admiral Ramdas | December 01, 1990, to September 30 1993 |
| Admiral V.S. Shekhawat | October 01, 1993, to September 30 1996 |
| Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat | October 01, 1996, to December 30 1998 |
| Admiral Sushil Kumar | December 31, 1998, to December 29 2001 |
| Admiral Madhvendra Singh | December 29, 2001, to July 31 2004 |
| Admiral Arun Prakash | August 01, 2004, to October 30 2006 |
| Admiral Suresh Mehta | October 30, 2006, to August 31 2009 |
| Admiral Nirmal Verma | August 31, 2009, to August 31 August 2012 |
| Admiral Devender Kumar Joshi | August 31, 2012, to February 26 2014 |
| Vice Admiral RK Dhowan | February 26, 2014, to May 31 2016 |
| Admiral Sunil Lanba | May 31, 2016, to May 31 2019 |
| Admiral Karambir Singh | May 31, 2019, to November 30th, 2021 |
| Admiral Hari Singh | November 30th, 2021 to Present |
About Navy Admirals
Admiral is the highest rank in the Indian Navy. It’s a four-star naval flag officer rank. It’s higher than vice admiral (three stars) and lower than admiral of the fleet (five stars), which has never been given.
An admiral can be called a full admiral or four-star admiral to show that they have a higher rank than vice admirals and rear admirals.
Since 1968, the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) has held the rank of admiral. If the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is a serving Indian Navy flag officer, they can also hold this rank. Admiral Adhar Kumar Chatterji was the first Indian officer to become a full admiral. The current Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) and the only full admiral in the Indian Armed Forces is Admiral R. Hari Kumar.
Important facts related to Indian Navy Admirals
- At Independence, the head of the Navy was designated the Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy.
- The title of “Chief of the Naval Staff” was added on 1st March 1948, “Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy“.
- When India became a republic on 26th January 1950, the “Royal” designation was dropped. Thus designating the Indian Navy head to “Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Navy“.
- The Commanders-In-Chief (Change in Designation) Act, 1955 re-designated the Indian Navy Head to “Chief of Naval Staff”.
- The position CNS is headed by both three-star rank Vice Admiral and two-star rank Rear Admiral. However, since 1966, the Chief of Naval Staff has always been a full Admiral.
- Appointments of CNS to the office are made by ACC – the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
- The CNS generally reaches superannuation upon completion of 3 years service or at the age of 62, whichever is earlier.
Chief of Indian Navy Admirals – Sample Questions for General Awareness
Understanding the relevance of Indian Navy Admirals for competitive exams is important for better preparation for which candidates must be well versed with the types of questions asked in the examination based on it.
Hence, given below are sample question based on Indian Navy Admirals asked in the general awareness section of competitive exams:
Q.1. Who is the Chief of Indian Navy 2021?
- R D Katari
- Karambir Singh
- Sunil Lamba
- S N Kohli
Answer (2) Karambir Singh
Q.2. Which of the following is the Vice-Admiral of the Indian Navy?
- R J Dhowan
- Ramdas
- Suresh Mehta
- G Ashok Kumar
Answer (4) G Ashok Kumar
Q.3. Who was the first Navy Chief of India?
- S N Kohli
- R J Dhowan
- R D Katari
- Suresh Mehta
Answer (3) R D Katari
Q.4. Who was the first Commander-In-Chief of the Royal Indian Navy?
- J S T Hall
- Mark Pizey
- Edward Parry
- Stephen Carlile
Answer (1) J S T Hall
Q.5. When was the first Navy Chief of Independent India appointed?
- 1950
- 1955
- 1958
- 1952
Answer (3) 1958
FAQs on Indian Navy Admirals
Q.Who was the 1st chief of the Indian Navy?
Ans. Katari was appointed the first Indian Chief of Naval Staff in February 1958. (CNS). On April 22, 1958, he was promoted to Vice Admiral and given command of the Indian Navy.
Q. Who is the current Indian Navy chief?
Ans: Admiral Radhakrishnan Hari Kumar
Q. Who is the best Indian Navy officer?
Ans: He is one of the most decorated naval officers in India.
Mr Arun Prakash.
