Arun Prakash

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the educator, see Arun Prakash (educator).

VrC, VSM
BornOctober 1944 (age 79)
Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir
Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Navy
Years of service1966–2006
Rank
Ati Vishist Seva Medal
Vir Chakra
Vishisht Seva Medal

Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee from 31 January 2005 to 31 October 2006. He is one of India's most decorated naval officers.[1]

Prakash was born in a military family and raised in Jammu and Kashmir. He joined the

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, he was attached to the No. 20 Squadron IAF. He was awarded the Vir Chakra
for leading airstrikes deep into enemy territory.

After the war, in 1976, he attended the Indian Air Force Test Pilot School. He subsequently commanded the Chamak-class missile boat INS Chatak (K96). He also commanded the naval squadron INAS 300 and led its conversion to the Sea Harrier. He then commanded the Leopard-class frigate INS Beas (1958) which was converted to a training ship. He also commanded the Nilgiri-class frigate INS Vindhyagiri (F42). In 1990, he was appointed the third commanding officer of the aircraft carrier INS Viraat (R22). As a Commodore, He also commanded the naval air station INS Hansa in Goa.

Prakash was promoted to Flag rank in 1993 and appointed

Chief of Personnel at Naval HQ. In 2001, he was appointed the first Commander-in-Chief of the newly-created Andaman and Nicobar Command. He subsequently had stints as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command and Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
.

On 31 July 2004, Prakash assumed office as the 18th Chief of the Naval Staff. He took over as the

Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee on 31 January 2005 from General Nirmal Chander Vij
.

Early life and education

Prakash grew up in the

District Commissioner of Leh.[2] His two elder brothers also joined the Indian Armed Forces, serving in the Indian Army.[3]
He graduated from the National Defence Academy in 1964, Indian Air Force Test Pilot School in 1976, the Defence Services Staff College in 1979, and the U.S. Naval War College in 1990.

Career

Early career

Prakash was commissioned into the Indian Navy as an acting sub-lieutenant on 1 January 1966.

Kiran aircraft with Indian Navy Air Squadron 551, and Seahawk aircraft with Indian Navy Air Squadron 300
.

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

In the 1971

Indo-Pakistan War, then Lieutenant Prakash flew Hawker Hunter aircraft for the 20th Squadron Lightnings. For his gallantry in air action over West Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir, he received the Vir Chakra.[1]

The Vir Chakra citation reads:

CITATION
LIEUTENANT ARUN PRAKASH, (00590-R)

During the operations against Pakistan in December 1971, Lieutenant Arun Prakash was one of the two naval pilots on deputation to the Indian Air Force. On 4 December he led an Indian Air Force strike mission to an enemy airfield. In this mission, he destroyed enemy's heavy transport on ground and returned to base. On 5 December he led a very deep penetration day operational strike into enemy territory and attacked airfields heavily defended by air and ground forces. He destroyed enemy's heavy transport aircraft, attacked troops and supplies and returned to base.

Throughout, Lieutenant Arun Prakash displayed gallantry, leadership and devotion to duty of a high order.[5]

The INS Vikrant in the early 1980s, carrying Sea Harriers and other aircraft

Post-War

Promoted to

Super Constellation that year for maritime air reconnaissance with Indian Navy Air Squadron 312. He later commanded the missile boat INS Chatak, the training frigate INS Beas, the antisubmarine warfare frigate INS Vindhyagiri, and the aircraft carrier INS Viraat.[7]

He was promoted to

Sea Harrier and ferried the newly acquired aircraft back to India. He commanded two Air Squadrons and the naval air station INS Hansa. In his aviation assignments, he logged more than 2,500 hours in the air in single and multi-engined, shore-based and carrier-based aircraft.[7] He was promoted to captain on 1 July 1986.[9] In 1992, he was appointed Naval Assistant to the Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas.[10]

Flag Rank

On 4 January 1993, Prakash was promoted to the rank of rear admiral and appointed Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air) (ACNS Air).[11] On 1 April 1995, after a two-year stint as ACNS, he was appointed the 21st Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet. He was in command of the Eastern Fleet for about a year-and-a-half. In late-1996, he moved to Naval HQ as Assistant Chief of Personnel (ACOP).

Chairman, COSC & CNS Adm Arun Prakash with CNO Adm Vern Clark
in Washington, D.C.

He was then promoted to the rank of

Chief of Personnel.[13] In October 2001, he became the first Commander-in-Chief of the newly established Andaman and Nicobar Command. Then, on 31 December 2002, he took over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) Western Naval Command. Following this assignment, he was appointed the Vice Chief of Naval Staff
, serving for a brief period from October 2003 to July 2004.

Chief of Naval Staff

Prakash was promoted to Full

Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee on 31 January 2005.[14] While serving as Chief of Naval Staff, Prakash played an important role in renewing the Indian Navy's relationships with the United States Navy[15] and in developing a vision of India's maritime strategy. Prakash retired as Chief of Naval Staff in October 2006.[16]
He retired from the post of Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee at the same time.

Post-retirement

Prakash settled in Goa after retiring from the Navy. He was the Distinguished Chair at the Naval War College, Goa from 2016 to 2022.[17]

Awards and decorations

Prakash was awarded the Vir Chakra in 1972, the Vishisht Seva Medal in 1985, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 1991 and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2002.

Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Vir Chakra Vishisht Seva Medal
Samar Seva Star Paschimi Star Raksha Medal Sangram Medal
Operation Parakram Medal Sainya Seva Medal 50th Independence Anniversary Medal 25th Independence Anniversary Medal
30 Years Long Service Medal
20 Years Long Service Medal
9 Years Long Service Medal

Published writings

  • From the Crow's Nest: A Compendium of Speeches and Writings on Maritime and Other Issues, New Delhi: Lancer Publishers, 2007.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Arun Prakash to be new Naval Chief", The Times of India, 1 June 2004, archived from the original on 8 September 2012, retrieved 10 July 2011
  2. ^ "Admiral Arun Prakash". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  3. ^ "PIB". archive.pib.gov.in.
  4. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 30 July 1966. p. 439.
  5. ^ "ARUN PRAKASH | Gallantry Awards". gallantryawards.gov.in.
  6. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 4 December 1976. p. 1668.
  7. ^ a b "Arun Prakash next Naval Chief", The Hindu, 2 June 2004, archived from the original on 12 June 2004, retrieved 10 July 2011
  8. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 14 February 1981. p. 188.
  9. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 27 June 1987. p. 903.
  10. ^ "Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas: A war hero and champion of human rights". The Indian Express. 17 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 25 November 1995. p. 1607.
  12. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 21 August 1999. p. 1124.
  13. ^ "I Reports of the Task Forces on 'Management of Internal Security' and 'Management of Defence' Presented" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 1 October 2000.
  14. ^ Dec 31, TNN. "Gen Vij new head of chiefs of staff panel | India News - Times of India". The Times of India.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ "US, India making military deal amid better relations", Daily Times, Pakistan, 25 March 2005, retrieved 10 July 2011
  16. ^ "Sureesh Mehta is new Navy chief", IBN Live, 31 October 2006, archived from the original on 16 October 2012, retrieved 10 July 2011
  17. ^ "Naval War College". twitter.com. Retrieved 26 January 2024.

Sources

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arun Prakash.
Military offices
Preceded by
Commanding Officer INS Viraat

1990-1991 		Succeeded by
Madanjit Singh
Preceded by
Harinder Singh
 Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet
1995-1996 		Succeeded by
O. P. Bansal
Preceded by Commandant of the National Defence Academy
1997-1999 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Chief of Personnel

1999-2001 		Succeeded by
Madanjit Singh
New title
New office
 Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command
2001–2003 		Succeeded by
O. P. Bansal
Preceded by
Vinod Pasricha
Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command

2003–2003 		Succeeded by
Madanjit Singh
Preceded by Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
2003–2004 		Succeeded by
Yashwant Prasad
Preceded by Chief of the Naval Staff
2004–2006 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee

2005 - 2006 		Succeeded by
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