Arun Prakash
Encyclopedia
Admiral Arun Prakash PVSM, AVSM, VrC
, VSM
, Indian Navy
, (born in Anantnag
, in the Jammu
and Ladakh
districts in October 1944) served as Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
and Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee from 31 July 2004 to 31 October 2006. He is one of India's most decorated naval officers.
Arun Prakash graduated from the Indian Air Force
Test Pilots School in 1976, the Defence Services Staff College in 1979, and the U.S. Naval War College
in 1990.
Joining the Navy, he specialized in naval aviation, qualifying as a pilot in the
Sea Hawk
jet fighter, flying from the deck of the aircraft carrier
INS Vikrant in 1968. His assignments in naval aviation included flying Islander aircraft with Indian Navy Air Squadron 550, Vampire
and Kiran
aircraft with Indian Navy Air Squadron 551, and Seahawk
and Sea Harrier aircraft with Indian Navy Air Squadron 300. In the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War, 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
.
In 1976, he flew the Super Constellation for maritime air reconnaissance with Indian Navy Air Squadron 312. In 1983, while in command of Indian Navy Air Squadron 300, he supervised the training of Indian Navy crew members in the United Kingdom for the 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.
As a junior officer, he served afloat in the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, INS Kirpan
, and INS Delhi
. He commanded the missile boat INS Chatak, the training frigate INS Beas
, the antisubmarine warfare frigate INS Vindhyagiri, and the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant
.
in 1993, he served as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air) and Assistant Chief of Personnel. As a Vice Admiral
, he was Commandant of the National Defence Academy in 1997-1999, and Chief of Naval Personnel at Naval Headquarters in 1999-2001. In October 2001, he became the first commander-in-chief of the newly established United Andaman
and Nicobar
Command.
Then, on 31 December 2002, he became Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command. Following this assignment, he became Vice Chief of Naval Staff for a brief period before being promoted to Admiral
and becoming the 20th Chief of Naval Staff, Indian Navy, on 31 July 2004.
Prakash retired as Chief of Naval Staff in October 2006. While serving as Chief of Naval Staff, Prakash played an important role in renewing the Indian Navy
's relationships with the United States Navy
and in developing a vision of India's maritime strategy.
VRC
VRC is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, as described below:*Vaccine Research Center*Vancouver Rowing Club, formed in 1886*Vertical redundancy check*Veteran Reserve Corps*Victoria Racing Club...
, VSM
Vishisht Seva Medal
Vishisht Seva Medal is a decoration of the Indian Armed forces. It is awarded to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the Indian armed forces....
, Indian Navy
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...
, (born in Anantnag
Anantnag
Anantnag , a city and a municipality in Anantnag district in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, India. Anantnag is regarded as the commercial and financial capital of the valley of Kashmir...
, in the Jammu
Jammu
Jammu , also known as Duggar, is one of the three administrative divisions within Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state in India.Jammu city is the largest city in Jammu and the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir...
and Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
districts in October 1944) served as Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
The Chief of the Naval Staff is the commander and typically the highest-ranking officer in the Indian Navy. The position is abbreviated CNS in Indian Navy cables and communication...
and Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee from 31 July 2004 to 31 October 2006. He is one of India's most decorated naval officers.
Early life and education
Prakash grew up in the Kashmir Valley, where his father rose to be a District Commissioner of Leh.Arun Prakash graduated from the Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
Test Pilots School in 1976, the Defence Services Staff College in 1979, and the U.S. Naval War College
Naval War College
The Naval War College is an education and research institution of the United States Navy that specializes in developing ideas for naval warfare and passing them along to officers of the Navy. The college is located on the grounds of Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island...
in 1990.
Naval career
Sea Hawk
Hawker Sea Hawk
The Hawker Sea Hawk was a British single-seat jet fighter of the Fleet Air Arm , the air branch of the Royal Navy , built by Hawker Aircraft and its sister company, Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. Although its origins stemmed from earlier Hawker piston-engined fighters, the Sea Hawk became the...
jet fighter, flying from the deck of the aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
INS Vikrant in 1968. His assignments in naval aviation included flying Islander aircraft with Indian Navy Air Squadron 550, Vampire
De Havilland Vampire
The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
and Kiran
HAL Kiran
-See also:-See also:...
aircraft with Indian Navy Air Squadron 551, and Seahawk
Hawker Sea Hawk
The Hawker Sea Hawk was a British single-seat jet fighter of the Fleet Air Arm , the air branch of the Royal Navy , built by Hawker Aircraft and its sister company, Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. Although its origins stemmed from earlier Hawker piston-engined fighters, the Sea Hawk became the...
and Sea Harrier aircraft with Indian Navy Air Squadron 300. In the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War, Lieutenant Prakash flew Hawker Hunter aircraft for the 20th Squadron Lightnings. For his gallantry in air action over West Pakistan
West Pakistan
West Pakistan , common name West-Pakistan , in the period between its establishment on 22 November 1955 to disintegration on December 16, 1971. This period, during which, Pakistan was divided, ended when East-Pakistan was disintegrated and succeeded to become which is now what is known as Bangladesh...
and Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
, he received the Vir Chakra
Vir Chakra
Vir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration carried with it the right to use Vr.C. as a postnominal abbreviation Vir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration...
.
In 1976, he flew the Super Constellation for maritime air reconnaissance with Indian Navy Air Squadron 312. In 1983, while in command of Indian Navy Air Squadron 300, he supervised the training of Indian Navy crew members in the United Kingdom for the Sea Harrier and ferried the newly acquired aircraft back to India. He commanded two Air Squadrons and the naval air station INS Hansa
INS Hansa
INS Hansa, is an Indian naval air station located near Dabolim in Goa, India. It is the only military air base in India with a civilian enclave, that operates as the Dabolim Airport.-History:...
. 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.
As a junior officer, he served afloat in the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, INS Kirpan
INS Kirpan
The following ships of the Indian Navy have been named INS Kirpan: was a Type 14, Blackwood class frigate commissioned in 1959 is a Khukri class corvette, currently in active service with the Indian Navy...
, and INS Delhi
INS Delhi (1948)
The INS Delhi was a Leander class cruiser built for the Royal Navy in 1933 as HMS Achilles, and commissioned into the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy in 1937 as HMNZS Achilles...
. He commanded the missile boat INS Chatak, the training frigate INS Beas
INS Beas
The following ships of the Indian Navy have been named INS Beas:*INS Beas was a Type 41, Leopard class frigate commissioned in 1960, which served in the Portuguese-Indian War and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971...
, the antisubmarine warfare frigate INS Vindhyagiri, and the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant
INS Vikrant
INS Vikrant was a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy.Her keel was laid down on 12 November 1943 by Vickers-Armstrong on the Tyne and she was launched on 22 September 1945....
.
Career as a flag officer
Promoted to Rear AdmiralRear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
in 1993, he served as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air) and Assistant Chief of Personnel. As a Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
, he was Commandant of the National Defence Academy in 1997-1999, and Chief of Naval Personnel at Naval Headquarters in 1999-2001. In October 2001, he became the first commander-in-chief of the newly established United Andaman
Andaman Islands
The Andaman Islands are a group of Indian Ocean archipelagic islands in the Bay of Bengal between India to the west, and Burma , to the north and east...
and Nicobar
Nicobar
Nicobar can refer to:* Nicobar Islands**Car Nicobar**Great Nicobar Island**Little Nicobar* Nicobar district-Animals:*Nicobar Shrew*Nicobar Treeshrew*Nicobar long-tailed macaque*Nicobar Flying Fox* Nicobar Pigeon* Nicobar Megapode...
Command.
Then, on 31 December 2002, he became Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command. Following this assignment, he became Vice Chief of Naval Staff for a brief period before being promoted to Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
and becoming the 20th Chief of Naval Staff, Indian Navy, on 31 July 2004.
Prakash retired as Chief of Naval Staff in October 2006. While serving as Chief of Naval Staff, Prakash played an important role in renewing the Indian Navy
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...
's relationships with the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and in developing a vision of India's maritime strategy.
Decorations and medals
- Vir ChakraVir ChakraVir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration carried with it the right to use Vr.C. as a postnominal abbreviation Vir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration...
, 1971 - Vishisht Seva MedalVishisht Seva MedalVishisht Seva Medal is a decoration of the Indian Armed forces. It is awarded to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the Indian armed forces....
, 1985 - Ati Vishisht Seva MedalAti Vishisht Seva MedalAti Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India given to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the armed forces....
, 1991 - Param Vishisht Seva Medal, 2002
Published writings
- From the Crow's Nest: A Compendium of Speeches and Writings on Maritime and Other Issues, New Delhi: Lancer PublishersLancer Publishers & DistributorsLancer Publishers & Distributors is a publishing house founded in 1979 in India, specialising in military subjects.-History:On independence of India in 1947, most of the military literature available was from the western countries. The reason for this was that India had been under subjugation of...
, 2007.
Sources
- Official Biography
- Publisher's information