Name Surinder Singh Rank Vice Admiral | Role Naval Officer | |
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Commands held Southern Naval CommandStrategic Forces CommandIntegrated Defence StaffWestern fleetIndian Naval AcademyINS ViraatINS TrishulINS KhanjarOPV VigilantINS Nishank Awards Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Nao Sena Medal | ||
Years of service January 1977–present | ||
Vice Admiral Surinder Pal Singh Cheema PVSM, AVSM, NM is a retired Indian Navy officer who served as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of Western and Southern Naval Commands. He also served as the Commander-in-Chief of Strategic Forces Command and the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CIDS) to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee. He retired from the service on January 31, 2016, after four decades of service.
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Personal life and education
He was graduated from the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla. He attended the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington where he was awarded the Lentaigne and Scudder Medals (for best dissertation and being "first in overall order of merit"). He also attended the College of Naval Warfare (CNW), Mumbai.
Military career
Cheema was commissioned into the Indian Navy on January 1, 1977. As a commanding officer, he commanded the missile boat INS Nishank, the Khukri class missile corvette INS Khanjar, the Talwar class stealth frigate INS Trishul and the Centaur class aircraft carrier INS Viraat. He also headed the naval base INS Mandovi.
He also served as the Controller Personnel Services at the Integrated Headquarters. He served as the Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff for Perspective Planning and Force Development (PP&FD) and for DOT in two different assignments. Apart from these he served as the Chief of the Staff of Western Naval Command and as the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Fleet. He served in four different appointments as a Commander-in-Chief since being promoted to C-in-C grade on August 31, 2012. He served as the FOC-in-C of Southern Naval Command from 2014 to 2015; Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Forces Command; Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CIDS) to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee; and as lastly as the FOC-in-C of Western Naval Command. He also served as the Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy. He retired on January 31, 2015, after four decades of service; Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba succeeded him as FOC-in-C of Western Naval Command.