GLIMPSES
Admiral
Vishnu Baghwat
PVSM, AVSM, ADC
CNS, 30 Sep 1996 - 30 Dec 1998
Admiral Vishnu Baghwat assumed charge of the Indian Navy, as the 15th Chief of Naval Staff, on 30 September 1996. Commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 January 1960, he is a graduate of the National Defence Academy (NDA). He was awarded the Telescope for the Best All-Round Cadet on the training vessel, INS Tir and the Sword of Honour for the Best All-Round Midshipman of the Fleet.
In his 36 years of distinguished service, Admiral Bhagwat has had a vast and varied experience in combat operations, warship production, acquisition & acceptance, personnel management and command. He was actively associated with the 1961 Goa operations, and during the 1971 Indo-Pak conflict, his ship was in the escort groups for missile boats responsible for humbling the adversary. A specialist in Communication & Electronic Warfare, he was the Flag Lieutenant to the CNS from 1968-70 and the Naval Assistant to the CNS from 1986-87.
Admiral Bhagwat completed his first major command in INS Amini with the Western Fleet, before being assigned as the Fleet Operations Officer of the same fleet, from 1978-79. He commissioned INS Ranjit in November 1983 and was in command of the vessel for 2½ years during which the ship set new fleet standards/records in weapons, sensors and operations. On promotion to the Flag rank in 1988, he served as the Additional Director General Defence Planning Staff, Chief of Staff of Western Naval Command and as the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet.
Admiral Bhagwat was Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (DCNS) for two years at Naval Headquarters. Prior to taking over as the CNS on 01 October 1996, he was the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command. A Graduate of National Defence College (NDC), the Admiral is a recipient of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 1986 and was conferred the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) on 26 January 1996. His primary extra-professional interests are International Economics and History.