Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Madhvendra Singh Nathawat (Retd.)

Admiral Madhvendra Singh, PVSM, AVSM, ADC, became the 18th Chief of Naval Staff on 29 December 2001, succeeding Admiral Sushil Kumar, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, NSM, ADC, who retired on 29 December 2001 after 40+ years of distinguished service.

Admiral Madhvendra Singh, son of late Major General K. Bhagwati Singh Nathawat, completed his schooling at the St. Xavier High School in Jaipur. For the Rajput from Chomu thikana of Rajasthan, a career in the armed forces was destined. His father, the late Major General K. Bhagwati Singh, was the first cadet to pass out of the Indian Military Academy(IMA) and had the distinction of having Indian commission number 1. Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw was number 14. ''When I was a teenager there were about 20 cousins and uncles in our family in the armed forces — from army generals to navy cadets! So I knew I would be joining the services,'' says Singh.

He then joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) at Khadakvasla in July 1958 and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 January 1963. As a Cadet on board INS Krishna, he was awarded the Binocular for standing first in the overall Order of Merit and the Telescope for being the Best All Round Cadet. Later he was also awarded the coveted Sword of Honour on being adjudged the best all round Midshipman of the Fleet. He specialised in Gunnery and has also undergone the Advanced Gunnery Course at the Royal Military College of Science at Shrivenham, U.K. He is a Graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and a post-graduate of the Naval War College, Newport, USA and the National Defence College, New Delhi. He has commanded the aircraft carrier INS Viraat; the missile destroyer INS Ranvir; the missile frigate INS Talwar and the Naval Academy at Kochi. He has also held important staff and training appointments, both afloat and ashore.

As a Flag Officer, he has served as Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command, the Chief Instructor (Navy) at the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington and as the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Fleet, prior to taking over as the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy & Plans) at Naval Headquarters in June 1994. On promotion to Vice Admiral on 02 January 1995, he took over as the Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition at Naval Headquarters and later took over as the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (DCNS). He was appointed as the Flag Officer Commanding Southern Fleet on 23 October 1996 and took over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command on 31 March 1998. He was appointed as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS) on 03 April 2001.

A highlight of his tenure at Mumbai was the successful conduct of the International Fleet Review in February 2001 in which 70 Indian Navy and 30 foreign naval ships were reviewed by the President of India in Mumbai harbour. The prestigious event was attended by then incumbent-CNS, Admiral Sushil Kumar and senior naval officers from 30 other countries. Admiral Madhvendra Singh has twice been commended by the CNS and is a recipient of the Param Vishist Seva Medal (PVSM) and the Ati Vishist Seva Medal (AVSM) for distinguished service of a very high order. He took part in the liberation of Goa in December 1961 and in maritime operations in 1965 and 1971, as also in Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka in 1987. During the Kargil War in 1999, he was commanding the Western Maritime Theatre. The Admiral is very fond of the outdoors and enjoys golf, yachting, riding and skeet shooting. An enthusiastic environmentalist, he is keen on preserving our maritime heritage and history. The Admiral is married to Mrs. Kaumudi Kumari and they have a son, a daughter and a grandson. Mrs. Kumari is a special educator and has worked in schools run by the Spastic Society of India.