{{short description|Indian Navy admiral}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}} {{Use Indian English|date=March 2023}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = Rear Admiral | name = Puneet Chadha | honorific_suffix = VSM | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = File:RAdm Puneet Chadha.jpg | image_size = 200px | alt = | caption = | birth_date = | death_date = | birth_place = | death_place = | burial_place = | burial_label = | burial_coordinates = | nickname = | birth_name = | allegiance = {{IND}} | branch = {{navy|India}} | service_years = 1987 - present | rank = 20px 20px Rear Admiral | service_number = | unit = | commands = Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Naval Area<br/>{{ship|INS|Viraat|R22}}<br/>{{ship|INS|Ranjit|D53}}<br/>{{ship|INS|Nireekshak|A15}}<br/>{{ship|INS|Vibhuti|K45}} | battles = | battles_label = | awards = 20px Vishisht Seva Medal | spouse = <!-- Add spouse if reliably sourced --> | relations = | other_work = | signature = | website = | memorials = | module = }} Rear Admiral '''Puneet Chadha''', VSM is a serving flag officer of the Indian Navy. He currently serves as the Additional Director General of the National Cadet Corps. He previously served as the Flag Officer Commanding Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Naval Area (FOTNA) and as the Deputy Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy. As the last commanding officer of the aircraft carrier {{ship|INS|Viraat|R22}}, he decommissioned the carrier in 2017.
== Naval career == Chadha graduated from the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 July 1987. He specialised in anti-submarine warfare (ASW). He attended the Malaysian Armed Forces Staff College, Kuala Lumpur.<ref name="TOI - FOTNA">{{cite web |last1=Jun 30 |first1=V. Ayyappan / TNN / |title=Rear Admiral Puneet Chadha takes charge as flag officer commanding of Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Naval Area {{!}} Chennai News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/rear-admiral-puneet-chadha-takes-charge-as-flag-officer-commanding-of-tamil-nadu-puducherry-naval-area/articleshow/76714758.cms |website=The Times of India |access-date=10 May 2022 |language=en}}</ref> He has also attended the Higher Naval Command course at the Naval War College, Goa and the National Defence College.<ref name="The Hindu - FOTNA" /> In his instructional appointments, Chadha has served as Directing Staff at Centre for Leadership and Behavioral Studies (CLABS) in Kochi and at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.<ref name="IN website - Dy Comdt INA" />
Chadha has commanded the Veer-class corvette {{ship|INS|Vibhuti|K45}} and the Submarine rescue vessel {{ship|INS|Nireekshak|A15}}. He subsequently commanded the lead ship of her class of guided-missile destroyers {{ship|INS|Ranjit|D53}}.<ref name="IN website - Dy Comdt INA">{{cite web |title=Rear Admiral Puneet Chadha, VSM Assumes Charge as the Deputy Commandant, Indian Naval Academy {{!}} Indian Navy |url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/rear-admiral-puneet-chadha-vsm-assumes-charge-deputy-commandant-indian-naval-academy |website=www.indiannavy.nic.in |access-date=10 May 2022}}</ref> In 2016, he took over as commanding officer of the aircraft carrier {{ship|INS|Viraat|R22}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=Captain Puneet Chadha takes over as 22nd Commanding Officer of INS Viraat |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/captain-puneet-chadha-takes-over-as-22nd-commanding-officer-of-ins-viraat/articleshow/49501793.cms?from=mdr |website=The Economic Times}}</ref> He was in command of ''INS Viraat'' during the International Fleet Review 2016 (IFR 2016) at Visakhapatnam. IFR 2016 was the last action seen by ''Viraat'' as she was decommissioned soon after.<ref name="Viraat decom">{{cite web |title=INS Viraat |url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=132498 |website=pib.gov.in}}</ref> As the 22nd and last CO of Viraat, Chadha decommissioned the aircraft carrier in a ceremony in Mumbai.<ref>{{cite web |title=INS Viraat Decommissioned |url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1483700 |website=pib.gov.in |access-date=10 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=ADIEU, INS VIRAAT |url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/printrelease.aspx?relid=151118 |website=pib.gov.in |access-date=10 May 2022}}</ref>
Chadha has served as the Fleet Operations Officer of the Eastern Fleet, based in Visakhapatnam. He has served as Director in the Perspective Planning directorate at the Army headquarters and as Director Net assessment in the Integrated Defence Staff headquarters. At Naval HQ, he has served as the Director and Principal Director Staff Requirements.<ref name="IN website - Dy Comdt INA" />
===Flag rank=== On 27 March 2018, Chadha was promoted to the rank of Rear admiral and appointed Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor of the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gallery {{!}} INA |url=https://www.ina.gov.in/?q=Gallery |website=www.ina.gov.in}}</ref> After a year-long stint, he moved to Visakhapatnam as the Chief Staff Officer (Operations) of the Eastern Naval Command. As CSO (Ops), he led a delegation to China, participating in the PLA Navy International Fleet Review in April 2019.<ref name="CSO (Ops) - ENC">{{cite web |title=Embassy of India, Beijing |url=http://eoibeijing.gov.in/eoibejing_listview/Mzk4 |website=eoibeijing.gov.in}}</ref> On 30 June 2020, he was appointed Flag Officer Commanding Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Naval Area (FOTNA).<ref name="The Hindu - FOTNA">{{cite web |title=Rear Admiral Puneet Chadha takes charge as New Flag Officer Commanding |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/rear-admiral-puneet-chadha-takes-charge-as-new-flag-officer-commanding/article31958362.ece |website=The Hindu |access-date=10 May 2022 |language=en-IN |date=30 June 2020}}</ref>
==Awards and decorations== {| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND_Samanya_Seva_medal.svg|width=106}} {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND_Special_Service_Medal_Ribbon.svg|width=106}} {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND_Operation_Vijay_star.svg|width=106}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND Operation Vijay medal.svg|width=106}} {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND_Sainya_Seva_Medal_Ribbon.svg|width=106}} {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND_Videsh_Seva_Medal_Ribbon.svg|width=106}} {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 50th Anniversary Independence medal.svg|width=106}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND_30_Years_Long_Service_Ribbon.svg|width=106}} {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 20YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|width=106}} {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 9YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|width=106}} |}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |- |Vishisht Seva Medal |Samanya Seva Medal |Special Service Medal |Operation Vijay Star |- |Operation Vijay Medal |Sainya Seva Medal |Videsh Seva Medal |50th Anniversary of Independence Medal |- |30 Years Long Service Medal |colspan="2"|20 Years Long Service Medal |9 Years Long Service Medal |}
== References == {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before = K. J. Kumar}} {{s-ttl|title=Flag Officer Commanding Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Naval Area|years=2020 – 2022}} {{s-aft|after=S. Venkat Raman}} {{s-bef|before = M. D. Suresh}} {{s-ttl|title=Deputy Commandant Indian Naval Academy|years=2018 – 2019}} {{s-aft|after=Tarun Sobti}} Flag Officer Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Naval Area {{s-bef| before = Rajesh Pendharkar}} {{s-ttl| title = Commanding Officer INS Viraat | years = 2016 - 2017}} {{s-non|reason=Ship decommissioned}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chadha, Puneet}} Category:Indian Navy rear admirals Category:National Defence Academy (India) alumni Category:National Defence College, India alumni Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Recipients of the Vishisht Seva Medal Category:Naval War College, Goa alumni Category:Deputy Commandants of the Indian Naval Academy Category:Flag Officers Commanding Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Naval Area