Vice Admiral Atul Anand takes over as Additional Secretary of Department of Military Affairs

Vice Admiral Atul Anand took over as Additional Secretary of Department of Military Affairs on Monday, the Defence Ministry said. The post was previously held by Lt Gen Anil Puri, who retired on February 28 this year, the ministry said in a statement.

Vice Admiral Anand was commissioned into the executive branch of the Indian Navy on January 1, 1988. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (71st Course, Delta Squadron), Defence Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur (Bangladesh) and National Defence College, Delhi, the statement said.

He had also attended the Advanced Security Cooperation course at Asia Pacific Centre of Security Studies in Hawaii, US, it said. A recipient of Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM), Vice Admiral Anand has held several key appointments in his career, including the command of Torpedo Recovery Vessel INTRV A72, missile boat INS Chatak, corvette INS Khukri and missile destroyer INS Mumbai.

He also served as the Navigating Officer of the Indian Navy’s ships — Sharda, Ranvijay and Jyoti — and was the direction officer of the Sea Harrier squadron INAS 300 and the executive officer of the destroyer INS Delhi, the statement said.

His important staff appointments include joint director, staff requirements; directing staff at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington; director, naval operations and director, Naval Intelligence (Ops), it said.