Vice Admiral P Murugesan Assumes Office As Vice Chief Of Naval Staff
31 March, New Delhi
Vice Admiral P Murugesan assumed charge as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Tuesday .
Before being elevated to the post, Vice Admiral Murugesan was holding the charge of chief of personnel at the naval headquarters here.
In a ceremony held at the South Block lawns, he was presented a ceremonial Guard of Honour. The officer was commissioned in the Navy on January 1, 1979.
He is a recipient of the Presidents Gold Medal as a cadet in the Naval Academy, Sea Cadets Telescope during Cadet Afloat Training and Sword of Honour as a midshipman.
After the initial sea appointments, he specialised in navigation and aircraft direction by securing first position in his class and served onboard frontline fleet ships.
He has been the commissioning crew of the first ship of 1241 RE (Veer class missile boats) and has undergone training in Russia. He has held various prestigious operational and staff appointments, both afloat and ashore.
His important operational appointment in the rank of Captain was as the Commanding Officer of the Guided Missile Destroyer INS Ranjit. Under his command, the ship was deployed to Mozambique as the lead ship of a task group comprising two ships to provide maritime security during the conduct of second African Union Heads of Government Summit held at the capital city of Maputo in June 3 and accomplished the mission.
In other operational appointments, he commissioned the Anti-Submarine Warfare Patrol Vessel INS Agray in Russia and Landing Ship Tank (Large) INS Gharial built at GRSE Kolkata, as their first Commanding Officer in the ranks of Lt Cdr and Commander, respectively. During his tenure as Principal Director Naval Operations, he coordinated the navys massive Tsunami Relief Operations on December 4.
He was subsequently appointed as the Naval Attache, Washington, US. After getting Rear Admiral rank he was appointed as Assistant Chief of Personnel and subsequently, he held the post of Flag Officer Commanding of the Eastern Fleet. Vice Admiral Murugesan is an alumnus of the Naval Command College, Newport, US.