NEW DELHI: Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Tuesday took over as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command from Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, who retired after four decades of military service, at a ceremonial parade held at INS Shikra, a naval helicopter base in Mumbai, the navy said in a statement.
Tripathi served as the chief of personnel at the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Navy) before taking the reins of the premier Mumbai-based command. An alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa and the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, he was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1985.
The admiral is a communication and electronic warfare specialist, and served on frontline warships as signal communication officer and electronic warfare officer, and later as the executive officer and principal warfare officer of guided missile destroyer INS Mumbai, the statement said.
Apart from commanding warships Vinash, Kirch and Trishul, Tripathi has held a raft of key operational and staff appointments, including Fleet Operations Officer of the Western Fleet at Mumbai, director of naval operations, principal director of network centric operations, and principal director, naval plans at New Delhi. His other appointments include assistant chief of naval staff (policy and plans) and Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Fleet.
After taking charge of the Western Naval Command, also known as the ‘sword arm’ of the navy, the admiral paid homage to personnel who made the supreme sacrifice in service of the country by placing a wreath at the Gaurav Stambh, the Victory at Sea Memorial, at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.
On promotion to the rank of vice admiral in June 2019, the officer was appointed commandant of the prestigious Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala, Kerala, and he was also the director general of naval operations from July 2020 to May 2021. In the latter role, he ensured the navy remained a combat ready, cohesive and credible force that was ready to address a host of complex security challenges despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the navy said.
He is a graduate of the elite Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and has also attended the Naval Higher Command Course and the Naval Command College at the US Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island. A keen sportsman, he follows tennis, badminton, and cricket. He is known to be a keen student of international relations and military history.