Chief Of Naval Staff :- Highest Rank of the Indian Navy

by Ashish
Chief-Of-Naval-Staff-Flag

The Chief Of The Naval Staff, is the head of Navy headquarter and the Chief of staff of the Indian Navy. He is the highest ranking officer of the Indian Navy and is also known as “the Navy Chief”. The CNS serves solely to the Indian Armed Forces and the most senior admiral on active duty unless the Chief Of Defence Staff is also a Navy Officer. 

The Chief Of Naval Staff both the President and the Prime Minister Of India on naval affairs.

The current CNS is Admiral R. Hari Kumar. 

25th Chief Of Naval Staff
25th Chief Of Naval Staff

History

The head of the Navy was designated the “Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy“, after the Independence of India. It was redesignated to Chief Of Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief Of, Royal Indian Navy on 21 June 1948. 

The designation of “Royal” was dropped after India became a republic on 26 January 1950.  

After the “Commander-in-Chief Act, 1955” the designation for the head of the Navy became The “Chief Of Naval Staff”. 

Until 1968, the designation was held by three-star rank Vice Admiral and after 1968 it was upgraded to four-star rank full Admiral. 

Here’s the list of Commander in Chief, Royal Indian Navy :-

NameTook OfficeLeft OfficeTime in Office
Rear Admiral John Talbot Savignac Hall15 August 194729 February 1958198 Days

Here’ the list of Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy:-

NameTook OfficeLeft OfficeTime in Office
Rear Admiral John Talbot Savignac Hal1 March 194814 August 1948166 Days
Vice Admiral William Edward Parry14 August 194825 January 19501 Year and 164 Days

Here’s the list of Chief Of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Navy :-

NameTook OfficeLeft OfficeTime in Office
Vice Admiral William Edward Parry26 January 195013 October 19511 Year and 260 Days
Admiral Sir Charles Thomas Mark Pizey13 October 195131 March 19553 Years and 169 Days

Here’s the list of Chief of Naval Staff :-

Name Took OfficeLeft OfficeTime in Office
Admiral Sir Charles Thomas Mark Pizey1 April 195521 July 1955111 Days
Vice Admiral Sir Stephen Hope Carlill21 July 195521 April 19582 Years and 274 Days
Vice Admiral Ram Dass Katari 22 April 19584 June 19624 Years and 43 Days
Vice Admiral Bhaskar Sadashiv Soman4 June 19623 March 19663 Years and 272 Days
Admiral Adhar Kumar Chatterji3 March 196628 February 19703 Years and 362 Days
Admiral Sardari Lal Mathradas Nanda28 February 197028 February 19733 Years 
Admiral Sourendra Nath Kohli1 March 197329 February 19762 Years and 365 Days
Admiral Jal Cursetji 1 March 19761 March 19793 Years
Admiral Ronald Lynsdale Pereira1 March 197928 February 19822 Years and 364 Days
Admiral Oscar Stanley Dawson1 March 198230 November 19842 Years and 274 Days
Admiral Radhakrishna Hariram Tahiliani1 December 198430 November 19872 Years and 364 Days
Admiral Jayant Ganpat Nadkarni1 December 198730 November 1990 2 Years and 364 Days
Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas1 December 199030 September 19932 Years and 303 Days
Admiral Vijay Singh Shekhawat 1 October 199330 September 19962 Years and 365 Days
Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat 1 October 199630 December 19982 Years and 90 Days
Admiral Sushil Kumar30 December 199829 December 20012 Years and 364 Days
Admiral Madhvendra Singh29 December 200131 July 20042 Years and 215 Days
Admiral Arun Prakash 31 July 200431 October 20062 Years and 215 Days
Admiral Sureesh Mehta 31 October 200631 August 20092 Years and 304 Days
Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma31 August 200931 August 20123 Years
Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi31 August 201226 February 20141 Years and 179 Days
Admiral Robin K. Dhowan 26 February 201431 May 20162 Years and 34 Days
Admiral Sunil Lanba31 May 201631 May 20193 Years
Admiral Karambir Singh 31 May 201930 November 20212 Years and 183 Days
Admiral R. Hari Kumar30 November 2021Active ServiceActive service

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