Vice Admiral CR Praveen Nair takes charge as new Commandant of Indian Naval Academy
NEW DELHI: A new Commandant of the Indian Navy's premier training institution, the Indian Naval Academy (INA), assumed charge on Thursday. The Indian Navy (IN) said, "Vice Admiral CR Praveen Nair took over as Commandant" He succeeded Vice Admiral Vineet McCarty.
“The Flag Officer was commissioned into the Indian Navy (IN) on 01 July 1991. A Surface Warfare officer, he specialised in Communications and Electronic Warfare. An alumnus of Defence Services Staff College Wellington and US Naval War College, at Newport, USA, the Flag Officer holds an M.Phil. in Defence and Strategic Studies from Mumbai University,” the Navy said.
The officer has served as the Signal Communication Officer onboard various IN ships, as the Fleet Electronic Warfare Officer and thereafter as the Fleet Communications Officer of the Western Fleet. He was also the Fleet Operations Officer of the Eastern Fleet from 2018 - 2019.
The Flag officer has commanded the missile corvette INS Kirch, commissioned Guided Missile Destroyer INS Chennai and the Indian Navy's largest warship, Aircraft Carrier INS Vikramaditya.
The Flag Officer's Staff appointments ashore include Directing Staff at the Naval War College Goa, Officer-in-Charge Signal School, and Commodore (Personnel) at the Directorate of Personnel, Naval Headquarters. He has also been a member of the Navy's premier Think-Tank, viz Indian Naval Strategic and Operational Council (INSOC) for over three years.
On promotion to Rear Admiral in January 2022, he was appointed as the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Policy and Plans) at the Naval Headquarters. Before being appointed as the Commandant of the INA on elevation to the rank of Vice Admiral, the Flag Officer was commanding the Western Fleet of the Indian Navy.
The Academy is located in Ezhimala in the Kannur District of Kerala, a part of the North Malabar Region. This is the premier training establishment of the Indian Navy which conducts the basic training for all officers being inducted into the Indian Navy through various schemes.
The period of initial training, at INA, for cadet entry and direct entry graduate candidates is 4 years and 22 weeks respectively. Branch-specific training is subsequently imparted at other naval establishments.