Indian Navy chief R K Dhowan begins 2-day visit at Southern Naval Command

KOCHI: The Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R.K. Dhowan began a two-day visit to the Southern Naval Command from Thursday. He was received by the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, Vice-Admiral Girish Luthra at the Naval air station Garuda on his arrival and was presented a 50-men guard of honour.

Soon after his arrival, Dhowan inaugurated the combat management system simulator at the Navigation and Direction (ND) School, his alma mater from where he graduated as a specialist navigating officer in 1982. It will be used for training personnel on the indigenously developed state of the art Action Information System (AIS) fitted onboard the latest ships of the Indian Navy such as INS Kochi.

In his address later in the day, Admiral Dhowan appreciated the operational and training activities being undertaken by the SNC, and the key role played by SNC in providing high quality, world class professional training to officers and sailors of the Indian Navy and those from friendly foreign countries.

Admiral Dhowan would leave Kochi on Friday after visiting the various training units at Kochi and interacting with the personnel of SNC including the defence civilians. The Admiral, who is scheduled to retire on May 31, after 41 years of service is accompanied on his visit by Mrs Minu Dhowan, president, Naval Wives Welfare Association.