Vice Admiral Girish Luthra to retire today after 4 decades of service

Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command

Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, will retire today, 31st January 2019, upon superannuation after a glittering career spanning nearly four decades in the Indian Navy. He was at the helm of Western Naval Command since 30 May 2016.

An alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, he was commissioned into the Navy in July 1979. A Navigation and Direction specialist, he commanded frontline warships INS Khukri, Talwar and the aircraft carrier Viraat. He was also the Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command in Kochi prior heading the Western Naval Command. Some of his important appointments include Director General Naval Operations, Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations), Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet, Asst Chief of Naval Staff (Policy & Plans), Principal Director Naval Plans and Deputy Naval Adviser to High Commission of India, London. He has attended courses in India and abroad, including the Staff Course at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and the Naval Command Course at the Naval War College, USA.

During his illustrious career, he had been commended by the FOC-in-C (West), Chief of Integrated Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff. The officer was awarded the coveted Vishisht Seva Medal in 2008, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2012 and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2017 by the President of India for distinguished service of an exceptionally high order. He was also appointed as the Honorary Naval ADC to the President of India in Jul 2017.

The Flag Officer in his career steered preparation of many official documents in the Navy, which include the Maritime Capability Perspective Plan 2027, Indian Maritime Doctrine and Defence Space Roadmap 2030. An eminent scholar in military affairs, the officer had written and published a number of professional papers and articles, in various journals in India and abroad. In recent years, VAdm Luthra had spoken on Maritime Security at various fora, Cyber Arms Control at an International Conference, Terrorism at India Economic Forum, and Indo-Pacific at the Raisina Dialogue, 2017. More recently, the Admiral had enthralled the audience while speaking at a Litfest in Mumbai on the ‘Maritime Connect of Mumbai'.

The Flag Officer is married to Mrs. Preeti, a homemaker, who provided rock-solid support throughout his career and associated herself with Naval community-related activities for many years.

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