Admiral R.K. Dhowan takes over as 22nd Indian Navy chief

Admiral Robin K. Dhowan took over as the 22nd Chief of Naval Staff on Thursday, nearly two months after his predecessor Admiral D.K. Joshi quit the post following a series of sea-related mishaps.

Admiral Dhowan, 59, who was the acting Navy chief, supercedes Western Naval Commander Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha. He will have a tenure of 25 months, retiring in May 2016.

Admiral Sinha, who was the senior-most vice admiral, was reportedly not considered for elevation because a majority of the 14 mishaps, including two major submarine accidents, took place under his command during the last ten months.

Admiral Joshi, who had 15 months left in service, resigned on February 26, following the mishap involving the submarine INS Sindhuratna, in which two naval officers were killed and several others injured.

In August 2013, the submarine INS Sindhurakshak sank at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, killing 18 personnel on board.

Admiral Joshi's sudden resignation changed the line of succession in the navy. Had he retired in August next year as scheduled, Southern Naval Commander Vice Admiral Satish Soni would have become the next chief.

Now, National Defence College Commandant Vice Admiral Sunil Lamba is expected to succeed Admiral Dhowan in May 2016.

Admiral Dhowan had been the vice chief of the force since August 2011, was supposed to superannuate on May 31, this year.

Apart from Vice Admiral Sinha, Eastern Naval Commander Vice Admiral Anil Chopra was also in the race for the top job in the Indian Navy.

Though he has not headed any operational command, Admiral Dhowan has held key positions and staff appointments during his career.

His command appointments include missile corvette INS Khukri, guided missile destroyers INS Ranjit and INS Delhi and Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF).

The Admiral's staff assignments include key posts like Deputy Chief of Naval Staff and Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Policy and Plans) at the headquarters in New Delhi, Commandant of National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, Indian Naval Adviser at the High Commission of India, London and Chief Staff Officer (Operations) at Headquarters of Western Naval Command.

A navigation and direction specialist, Admiral Dhowan is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College and Naval War College in Rhode Island, USA.