P Murugesan

Vice Admiral P Murugesan AVSM, VSM
Vice Admiral P Murugesan taking charge as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
Allegiance	India
Service/branch	Indian Navy
Years of service	01 January 1979–present
Rank	Vice Admiral
Commands held	Vice Chief of Naval Staff FOC-in-C Western Command Chief of Personnel (COP) Assistant Chief of Personnel (Human Resource Development) Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Foreign Cooperation and Intelligence) INS Ranjit INS Gharial (L23) INS Agray (P36)
Awards	Ati Vishist Seva Medal (2011) Vishisht Seva Medal (2008)

Vice Admiral P Murugesan is the current Vice Chief of the Naval Staff of India since 31 Mar 2015.^[1]

Education

He is an alumnus of Indian Naval Academy and Naval Command College, Newport, USA and also attended the Staff Course in the United States of America prior to that. He is a recipient of the President’s Gold Medal as a Cadet in the Naval Academy, Sea Cadet’s “Telescope” during Cadet Afloat Training and “Sword of Honour” as a Midshipman.^[2]

Career

Vice Admiral P Murugesan speaking at the launch of INS Tarmugli, INS Tilanchang and INS Tihayu

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 2nd African Union Heads of Government Summit held at the capital city of Maputo in Jun 03 and accomplished the mission. The ship, during his tenure, was awarded the Chief of Naval Staff Unit Citation for exceptional performance and was adjudged as the Best Ship of Eastern Fleet for the year 2003-04. 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. ^[2]

Murugesan was the Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command and Chief of Personnel at New Delhi. Commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 Jan 1979, the Flag Officer is a specialist in Navigation and Direction and an alumnus of the Naval Command College, Newport, USA. His Command tenures include Commands of Indian Naval Ships Ranjit, INS Gharial (L23) and Agray, the last two of which he had the honor of Commissioning into the Indian Navy.^[3]

His key staff appointments before flag rank include, Principal Director of Naval Operations, Naval Attache to Washington, USA, and Directing Staff at DSSC, Wellington and College of Naval Warfare, Mumbai.^[4] As a Flag Officer, he has held the appointments of Assistant Chief of Personnel (Human Resource Development), Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Foreign Cooperation and Intelligence).

Awards

Vice Admiral P Murugesan has been awarded with the Ati Vishist Seva Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2011 and 2008 respectively.

	Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
	Vishisht Seva Medal
	30 Years Long Service Medal
	20 Years Long Service Medal
	9 Years Long Service Medal

References