VISAKHAPATNAM: Vice Admiral HCS Bisht took over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) from Vice Admiral Satish Soni at an impressive ceremonial parade held at the Naval Base here on Monday. Vice Admiral Bisht inspected the ceremonial guard and reviewed platoons of naval personnel drawn from various ships and establishments of the ENC.
Vice Admiral Satish Soni who retired on completion of 40 years in the naval service, was accorded a farewell by the ENC by the traditional ‘Pulling Out’ ceremony, wherein he was ceremonially pulled out in a jeep by flag officers and commanding officers of ships and naval establishments, to resounding ‘Teen Jais’ from the men to the outgoing Commander-in-Chief.
Meanwhile, Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain took charge as the ENC chief of staff from Vice Admiral Bimal Verma on Saturday. In the course of his distinguished career, Vice Admiral Jain has held various operational, staff and command appointments. Upon his promotion to the rank of Vice Admiral on April 1 last year, he held the post of the Controller, Personnel Services at Integrated Headquarters in the Ministry of Defence (Navy), prior to the present posting. Vice Admiral Bimal Verma has proceeded on transfer as the Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command at Port Blair.