Vice-Admiral S Lanba appointed Southern Naval Command chief

NEW DELHI: Vice-Admiral S Lanba, in line to be the next Navy chief in 2016, was today appointed as the chief of the Southern Naval Command (SNC).

The present SNC flag officer Commanding-in-Chief Vice-Admiral S P S Cheema, will take over the Western Naval Command (WNC) from Vice-Admiral Anil Chopra, who retires on March 31.

Vice-Admiral P Murugesan, the chief of personnel at the naval headquarters here will be the next vice-chief of the force, Navy sources said.

All officers senior to Lanba, including Vice-Admirals Cheema, Soni and P K Chatterjee (Andaman and Nicobar command chief), will retire before Navy chief Admiral R K Dhowan hangs his boots in May 2016.