Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, AVSM, NM took over as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C), Western Naval Command (WNC) from Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC at an impressive Ceremonial Parade held at INS Shikra on 28 Feb 23. On taking over, the Flag Officer paid homage to all personnel who made the supreme sacrifice in service of the Nation by placing a floral wreath at the Gaurav Stambh (the Victory at Sea Memorial at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai). Prior to taking over as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Vice Admiral Tripathi served as the Chief of Personnel at the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Navy).

An alumnus of Sainik School Rewa and National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, he was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 Jul 1985. A Communication and Electronic Warfare specialist, he served on frontline warships of the Navy as Signal Communication Officer and Electronic Warfare Officer, and later as the Executive Officer and Principal Warfare Officer of Guided Missile Destroyer INS Mumbai. He commanded Indian Naval Ships Vinash, Kirch and Trishul. He has also held various important operational and staff appointments which include Fleet Operations Officer of the Western Fleet at Mumbai, Director of Naval Operations, Principal Director Network Centric Operations and Principal Director Naval Plans at New Delhi. On promotion to the rank of Rear Admiral, he served as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy and Plans) at IHQ MoD(N) and as the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet.

On promotion to the rank of Vice Admiral in Jun 2019, the Flag Officer was appointed as Commandant of the prestigious Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala, Kerala. He was the Director General of Naval Operations from Jul 2020 to May 2021, a period that witnessed a high tempo of Naval Maritime Operations. He ensured that Navy remained a combat ready, cohesive and credible force, ready to address a host of complex security challenges despite all round severity of COVID Pandemic.

The Admiral is a graduate of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, where he was awarded the Thimmaiya Medal. He also attended Naval Higher Command Course and Naval Command College at the US Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Islands in 2007-08, where he won the Prestigious Robert E Bateman International Prize.

Vice Admiral Tripathi is a recipient of Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Nausena Medal for devotion to duty. He is also a keen sportsman and avidly follow tennis, badminton, and cricket. The Flag Officer is a keen student of international relations, military history, and art & science of leadership. He is married to Mrs Shashi Tripathi, an artist and homemaker and the couple have one son, who is a practicing lawyer.

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MK/VM/PS

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