Vijai Singh Shekhawat


Vijai Singh Shekhawat, PVSM, AVSM, VrC, ADC is a former Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy. He was 14th Chief of Naval Staff and served as Navy Chief from September-30 1993 to September-30 1996.

Early life and education

Shekhawat attended the St. Joseph's Academy and Colonel Brown Cambridge School in Dehradun, Bishop Cotton Boys' School in Bangalore, and St Joseph's College in Darjeeling. He later attended the National Defence Academy in Maharashtra and the US Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Shekhawat was selected for the Joint Services Wing of the National Defence Academy in 1952, and was awarded the President Gold Medal for the best all-round cadet in December 1953. He was commissioned in 1956.

Naval Career

Shekhawat received submarine training in the UK from 1963–1964 and the USSR from 1966–1967, He served as Executive and Commanding Officer for several submarines, including the INS Kalvari and the INS Karanj, which he commissioned and sailed from the Baltic Sea to India. He received the Vir Chakra gallantry award for his service as commander of the Karanj during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

Vir Chakra

The citation for the Vir Chakra reads as follows:
Promoted to substantive commander on 31 December 1971, Shekhawat served as director of the Indian Navy Submarine Arm from 1975 to 1977. After attending the US Naval War College from 1977 to 1978, Shekhawat served from 1979 to 1981 as the Chief Instructor at the National Defence Academy.
Shekhawat was promoted to Rear Admiral on 21 June 1984, and served as the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff. In 1986, he was given command of the Western Fleet during Operation Brasstacks. He obtained the rank of Vice Admiral in August 1988 and served as the Director General of the tri-service Defence Planning Staff, and obtained the rank of Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command in December 1990. In 1992, Shekhawat was promoted to the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, and in September 1993 he was again promoted to Chief of the Naval Staff.
Shekhawat retired in 1996. Admiral Shekhawat is married to Mrs. Binu Shekhawat and has two sons, one of which is a pilot with the Indian Navy.