Shekhar Sinha quits as Robin Dhowan supersedes to become Navy Chief

NEW DELHI: Western Navy Commander Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha, who was superseded by Admiral Robin Dhowan as the Navy chief on Thursday, has put in his papers seeking voluntary retirement. Defence ministry sources indicated that he took the step after being overlooked by the government while appointing the new Navy chief after Admiral DK Joshi had resigned following series of naval accident. Sources said Sinha's letter is now with the ministry and it will take a call on the matter.

Sinha, who is six months senior to Dhowan, has not given any reasons for seeking early retirement. Sinha was scheduled to retire on August 31, 2014. Sinha was the senior-most Vice Admiral in the Navy. But several mishaps, including two major submarine accidents, occurred under his command. Admiral Joshi had resigned on February 26 following the mishap involving submarine INS Sindhuratna in which two Navy officers were killed and several others injured.

The sudden resignation by Joshi changed the line of succession in the Indian Navy. If he had retired in August 2015 as earlier scheduled, Southern Naval Commander Vice admiral Satish Soni would have become the next chief.

National Defence College Commandant Vice admiral Sunil Lamba is now expected to succeed Dhowan in May 2016.