Admiral D K Joshi, who quit as Navy chief on Wednesday, was perceived as an upright officer who has a clean incorruptible image. But, he will go down in history as the only Navy chief to have quit owning moral responsibility for naval accidents, though mishaps have been reported in the navy under his predecessors too.
As an anti-submarine warfare specialist, he took over as the 21st Navy chief on August 31, 2012, succeeding Adm Nirmal Verma. He was to retire on Sept 30, 2015, but quit 19 months ahead of his superannuation.
Joshi had previously held the responsibility as the Western Naval Commander in Mumbai and as the Andaman and Nicobar tri-services Commander in Port Blair, apart from heading the Integrated Defence Staff headquarters in New Delhi. He was also the Eastern Fleet Commander at Vizag.
The high profile appointments he held are proof of his calibre as a meritorious officer. Commissioned in 1974, he commanded the INS Viraat aircraft carrier, guided-missile destroyer Ranvir and corvette INS Kuthar. Only a select few of top class officers from the executive branch of the navy get to command warships.
He was awarded Nausena Medal, Vishist Seva Medal, Ati Vishist Seva Medal (AVSM) and Yudh Seva Medal during his over 40-year naval career.