New Delhi : Vice Admiral CR Praveen Nair, NM took over as Commandant, Indian Naval Academy on 29 Aug 24. He succeeds 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 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 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 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. Prior being appointed as the Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy on elevation to the rank of Vice Admiral, the Flag Officer was commanding the Western Fleet of the Indian Navy.