Vice Admiral Atul Anand takes over as Additional Secretary, DMA

On July 3, 2023, Vice Admiral Atul Anand assumed the position of Additional Secretary, Department of Military Affairs. Lt Gen Anil Puri, who held the position prior to him, retired on February 28, 2023.

On January 1st, 1988, Vice Admiral Atul Anand received his commission into the Indian Navy’s executive branch. He graduated from the National Defence College in New Delhi, the Defence Services Command and Staff College in Mirpur, Bangladesh, and the National Defence Academy’s 71st Course, Delta Squadron. Additionally, he took the Advanced Security Cooperation course at Hawaii’s Asia Pacific Centre for Security Studies.

Vice Admiral Atul Anand, who has received the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM), has held a number of important positions throughout his career, including those of Torpedo Recovery Vessel INTRV A72, missile boat INS Chatak, corvette INS Khukri, and destroyer INS Mumbai. He was also the Executive Officer of the destroyer INS Delhi, the Direction Officer of the Sea Harrier squadron INAS 300, and the Navigating Officer of the IN ships Sharda, Ranvijay, and Jyoti. Joint Director, Staff Requirements; Directing Staff at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington; Director, Naval Operations; and Director, Naval Intelligence (Ops) are only a few of his notable staff roles.

At the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Navy), he also held the positions of Principal Director, Naval Operations and Principal Director, Strategy, Concepts and Transformation. He has held the positions of Director General Naval Operations, Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor at National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area, Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval Area, and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Foreign, Cooperation and Intelligence) while serving as a Flag Officer.