Vice Admiral Girish Luthra to assume Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command tomorrow

KOCHI: Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, AVSM, VSM, will assume charge as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command (FOC-in-C, South) here tomorrow.

He was commissioned in the Executive Branch of the Indian Navy on July 1, 1979 and is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Pune, the Defence Services Staff College Wellington, and Naval Command Naval War College, USA.

A Navigation and Direction Specialist, the officer served in many operational and staff billets afloat as well as ashore in a career spanning more than three decades, a Navy release said here today.

His significant afloat tenures include the command of Indian naval ships Khukri, Talwar and the aircraft carrier Viraat, besides being the the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Fleet during 2011-12.

His important staff appointments include Deputy Naval Attaché to High Commission of India, London, Principal Director Naval Plans and Asst Chief of Naval Staff (Policy and Plans) and Director General of Naval Operations.

He was Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations) at IHQ MoD (Navy) at Delhi prior to being appointed as the FOC-in-C (South).

An eminent scholar in military affairs, the admiral has written and published a number of professional papers and articles, in various journals in India and abroad.

He has been awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2008 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2012.