On 1 August 2025, Vice Admiral Manish Chadha, AVSM, VSM, took over as the Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy (INA) at Ezhimala, succeeding Vice Admiral C. R. Praveen Nair, AVSM, NM The formal ceremony marked a new phase in INA’s leadership with full military honours and institutional pride.
A graduate of the 78th NDA course, Chadha was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 July 1991 He specialized in Communication & Electronic Warfare and attended prestigious institutions including DSSC Wellington and the National Defense University, USA
His illustrious career includes command of ICGS‑05, missile corvettes INS Veer and INS Kirpan, as well as destroyer INS Mysore. He also served as Executive Officer on INS Talwar, and held key staff positions, including Naval Attaché in Moscow, Director of major naval projects like Project Amber and Rukmani, and coordination of the International Fleet Review 2016
Chadha was promoted to Flag Rank on 6 December 2021, subsequently commanding the Gujarat Naval Area, and later the Maharashtra Naval Area (FOMA) from November 2023 until mid‑2025. He then held senior HR roles at Naval Headquarters, culminating in his selection for INA Commandant
Awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in 2017 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2025, Chadha’s record reflects his exemplary leadership and operational excellence
As Commandant, Chadha is poised to steer INA into a new era—integrating advanced naval warfare education, fostering international military training collaborations, and reinforcing INA’s status as a global centre for officer training in the Indo‑Pacific region
The appointment of Vice Admiral Chadha—who combines operational command experience with deep HR and training expertise—ensures that INA continues to produce officers equipped to meet evolving maritime challenges. His background signals a focus on modern officer education, vital for candidate roles in defence, railways (Technical), UPSC, CDS, and NDA exams.
INA is the premier training ground for future naval leaders and cadets from the Coast Guard and friendly foreign navies. A change at the top brings renewed momentum to curriculum innovation, technological adoption, and international collaboration—key topics in government‑exam current affairs.
For those preparing for positions in the armed forces, civil service, or roles involving national security infrastructure, understanding such leadership transitions is essential. It highlights how senior appointments shape defence training ecosystems and policy directions.
The coverage from ANI and major news agencies (UNI, WebIndia123) on 1 August 2025 establishes the timeliness and authority of the information—making it highly relevant for up‑to‑date current affairs exam preparation.
Commissioned in 2009, the Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala is Asia’s largest naval training institute, designed to modernize and centralize officer training from the older system at Dartmoor (Goa) and Khadakwasla (Pune). INA delivers foundational training to naval, coast guard, and allied cadets and has received the President’s Colour in 2019.
Vice Admiral C. R. Praveen Nair, AVSM, NM, served as Commandant from August 2024 to July 2025, overseeing infrastructure expansion and curricular innovations before transitioning to a senior role at Naval HQ
INA leadership traditionally rotates between officers with operational sea‑commands and those with HR/training backgrounds. This ensures balanced emphasis on both tactical knowledge and institutional capacity building.
Vice Admiral Manish Chadha, AVSM, VSM, assumed charge as the Commandant of INA on 1 August 2025.
He is a graduate of the 78th NDA course and specialized in Communication & Electronic Warfare. He has completed staff courses from DSSC Wellington and the National Defense University, USA.
He has commanded INS Veer, INS Kirpan, and INS Mysore, among others.
He has received the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in 2017 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2025.
INA is Asia’s largest naval officer training institute, responsible for shaping the careers of naval cadets, including those from friendly foreign nations.
The INA is located at Ezhimala in Kerala, India.
INA was awarded the President’s Colour in 2019.
He served as Flag Officer Commanding Gujarat Naval Area, Maharashtra Naval Area, and held senior HR positions at Naval Headquarters.
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