Who is the current chief of naval staff of India

Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, (born 15 May 1964) is a serving four-star flag officer of the Indian Navy. He is our current 26th Chief of Naval Staff. On 30 April 2024, Dinesh Kumar Tripathi took over as the 26th CNS succeeding Admiral R. Hari Kumar. He has played a pivotal role in shaping India’s maritime policies and enhancing the Navy’s operational readiness. Before becoming Chief of Naval Staff, he served as the Chief of Personnel and achieved other titles, such as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command. Let’s know more about him below.

About Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi
Name	Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi
Born	15 May 1964
Designation	26th Chief of the Naval Staff
Preceded by	R. Hari Kumar
Years of service	July 1985 – present
Rank	Admiral
Commands	Western Naval Command Indian Naval Academy Eastern Fleet INS Trishul (F43) INS Kirch (P62) INS Vinash (K47)
Awards	Param Vishisht Seva Medal  Ati Vishisht Seva Medal  Nau Sena Medal

Biography of Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi – Current Chief of Naval Staff of India

Admiral Dinesh Kumar PVSM, AVSM, NM Tripathi has recently ascended to the role of the 26th Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy and in his career, he has achieved many things which we will know below, we will also get to know about his personal life, education awards etc.

Early Life and Education of Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi

1. Dinesh Kumar Tripathi was born on May 15, 1964, in Maduar village, Satna, Madhya Pradesh.
2. He acquired his early education from Sainik School, Rewa and was a classmate of General Upendra Dwivedi.
3. Tripathi did his graduation from the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla, Pune and completed his training at the Indian Naval Academy.
4. He first completed a staff course at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington and then completed the Naval Higher Command Course at  Karanja.
5. He received the Robert E. Bateman International Prize for his achievements at Naval Command College in Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi – Career Timeline

Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi has emerged as a prominent leader in the Indian Navy, recently working on the Chief of Naval Staff post from April 30, 2024. His career spans nearly of four decades, during which he has commanded several key naval vessels, including the INS Vinash, INS Kirch, and INS Trishul. 

Early Career and Commissioning

• On July 1, 1985, into the Executive branch of the Indian Navy Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi was commissioned. He specialises in Electronic Warfare and communication.
• At INS Mumbai he serves as the Served as the Signals Communication Officer and Electronic Warfare Officer.

Command Positions

• Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi Commanded INS Vinash (K47) Veer-class missile vessel.
• He Led the INS Kirch (P62) Kora-class corvette during the Fleet Review by President Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam in 2005.
• He also Commanded INS Trishul (F43) which is a  Talwar-class guided missile frigate.

Appointments of Staff

• Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi served as a fleet operations officer on the Western Fleet.
• At a strategic level, he served as the Director of Naval Operations.
•  In naval warfare, he Managed initiatives that used advanced technology for communication and coordination as a Principal Director of Network Centric Operations.
• He also Worked on strategic planning at Naval Headquarters as a Principal Director of Naval Plans.

Promotion to Flag Rank

• At Naval HQ Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi took the role of Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy and Plans).
• He took charge of the Eastern Fleet on January 15, 2018. He was honoured with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal on January 26, 2019, for his outset.

Vice Admiral

• Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi was promoted to Vice Admiral in June 2019.
• He becomes a Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy at  Ezhimala, Kerala.
• As a Director General of Naval Operations (DGNO) he manages challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Leadership Roles of Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi

• On June 1, 2021, he assumed the role of Chief of Personnel.
• He took the command on March 1, 2023, as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command.
• Lastly, he was appointed as a Chief of Naval Staff on April 30, 2024.

Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi – Personal Life and Family

• Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi has a love for sports like badminton, tennis and cricket and if we talk about academic interests, he studies Military History, International Relations and Leadership skills.
• He married Shashi Tripathi, who is an artist and homemaker. This couple has a son who works as a lawyer.

Awards and Decorations of Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi

Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi is a well-known officer of the Indian Navy, known for his commitment to the nation and exemplary service. His accolades include several prestigious awards and decorations. Some of his awards and decorations are listed below –

Param Vishisht Seva Medal	Ati Vishisht Seva Medal	Nau Sena Medal
Operation Vijay Medal	Operation Parakram Medal	Sainya Seva Medal
50th Independence Anniversary Medal	30 Years Long Service Medal	20 Years Long Service Medal
Samanya Seva Medal	75th Independence Anniversary Medal	9 Years Long Service Medal

List of Chief of Naval Staff of India 1947 – 2024

The Indian Navy has been led by a distinguished line of Admirals since the country’s independence in 1947. These naval leaders have played an important role in shaping the force to safeguard efficiently India’s marine interests. Here is the list of Chiefs of the Naval Staff – 

Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy (1947–1948)

Name	Tenure	Time served
Rear Admiral John Talbot Savignac Hall (CIE)	15 August 1947-29 February 194	198 days

Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Navy (1948–1950)

Name	Tenure	Time served
Rear Admiral John Talbot Savignac Hall (CIE)	1 March 1948 to 14 August 1948	166 days
Vice-AdmiralWilliam Edward Parry	14 August 1948 to 25 January 1950	1 year, 164 days

Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Navy (1950–1955)

Name	Tenure	Time served
Vice-AdmiralSir William Edward Parry (KCB)	26 January 1950 to 13 October 1951	1 year, 260 days
AdmiralSir Charles Thomas Mark Pizey (KBE, CB, DSO & Bar)	13 October 1951 to 31 March 1955	3 years, 169 days

Chief of the Naval Staff (1955–2021)

Name	Tenure	Time served
AdmiralSir Charles Thomas Mark Pizey (KBE, CB, DSO & Bar)	1 April 1955 to 21 July 1955	111 days
Vice-AdmiralSir Stephen Hope Carlill(KBE, CB, DSO & Bar)	21 July 1955 to 21 April 1958	2 years, 274 days
Vice-AdmiralRam Dass Katari	22 April 1958 to 4 June 1962	4 years, 43 days
Vice-AdmiralBhaskar Sadashiv Soman	4 June 1962 to 3 March 1966	3 years, 272 days
AdmiralAdhar Kumar Chatterji	3 March 1966 to 28 February 1970	3 years, 362 days
AdmiralSardarilal Mathradas Nanda(PVSM, AVSM)	28 February 1970 to 28 February 1973	3 years, 0 days
AdmiralSurendra Nath Kohli (PVSM)	1 March 1973 to 29 February 1976	2 years, 365 days
AdmiralJal Cursetji (PVSM)	1 March 1976 to 1 March 1979	3 years, 0 days
AdmiralRonald Lynsdale Pereira (PVSM, AVSM)	1 March 1979 to 28 February 1982	2 years, 364 days
AdmiralOscar Stanley Dawson (PVSM, AVSM, ADC)	1 March 1982 to 30 November 1984	2 years, 274 days
AdmiralRadhakrishna Hariram Tahiliani (PVSM, AVSM)	1 December 1984 to 30 November 1987	2 years, 364 days
AdmiralJayant Ganpat Nadkarni (PVSM, AVSM, NM, VSM, ADC)	1 December 1987 to 30 November 1990	2 years, 364 days
AdmiralLaxminarayan Ramdas(PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM, ADC)	1 December 1990 to 30 September 1993	2 years, 303 days
AdmiralVijai Singh Shekhawat (PVSM, AVSM, VrC, ADC)	1 October 1993 to 30 September 1996	2 years, 365 days
AdmiralVishnu Bhagwat (PVSM, AVSM, ADC)	1 October 1996 to 30 December 1998	2 years, 90 days
AdmiralSushil Kumar (PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, NM, ADC)	30 December 1998 to 29 December 2001	2 years, 364 days
AdmiralSushil Kumar (PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, NM, ADC)	30 December 1998 to 29 December 2001	2 years, 364 days
AdmiralMadhvendra Singh (PVSM, AVSM, ADC)	29 December 2001 to 31 July 2004	2 years, 215 days
AdmiralArun Prakash (PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM, ADC)	31 July 2004 to 31 October 2006	2 years, 215 days
AdmiralSureesh Mehta (PVSM, AVSM, ADC)	31 October 2006 to 31 August 2009	2 years, 304 days
AdmiralNirmal Kumar Verma (PVSM, AVSM)	31 August 2009 to 31 August 2012	3 years, 0 days
AdmiralDevendra Kumar Joshi (PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM, ADC)	31 August 2012 to 26 February 2014	1 year, 179 days
Vice AdmiralRobin K. Dhowan (PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC)Acting	26 February 2014 to 17 April 2014	50 days
AdmiralRobin K. Dhowan (PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC)	17 April 2014 to 31 May 2016	2 years, 44 days
AdmiralSunil Lanba (PVSM, AVSM, ADC)	31 May 2016 to 31 May 2019	3 years, 0 days
AdmiralKarambir Singh (PVSM, AVSM, ADC)	31 May 2019 to 30 November 2021	2 years, 183 days
AdmiralR. Hari Kumar(PVSM, AVSM, VSM)	30 November 2021 to 30 April 2024	3 years, 180 Days
AdmiralDinesh Tripathi(AVSM, NM)	30 April 2024 to Incumbent

Note: Here are the full forms of all the posts and medals tabulated above – KBE (Knight Commander or Dame Commander), CB (Construction Battalion), DSO (Defense Service Office), PVSM (Param Vishisht Seva Medal), AVSM (Ati Vishisht Seva Medal), YSM (Yudh Seva Medal), ADC (Aide-de-Camp),  NM (Normalized Marks), UYSM (Uttam Yudh Seva Medal), VSM (Vishisht Seva Mandal), YSM (Yudh Seva Medal), 

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