Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh, AVSM, VSM is a serving Flag officer in the Indian Navy. He currently serves as the Chief of Materiel. He earlier served as the Controller Warship Production and Acquisition and as the Admiral Superintendent Naval Dockyard (Visakhapatnam).


Kiran Deshmukh

Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Navy
Years of service31 March 1986 - Present
Rank Vice Admiral
Commands heldNaval Dockyard (Visakhapatnam)
Awards Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Vishisht Seva Medal

Early life and education edit

Deshmukh attended the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) in Mumbai, where he obtained a Bachelor of Engineering degree.[1]

Naval career edit

Deshmukh was commissioned into the Indian Navy as an Engineer officer on 31 March 1986. He attended the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras obtaining a Master of Technology degree. He also attended the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.[2]

He has served onboard various frontline ships - the Rajput-class destroyers INS Ranjit (D53) and INS Ranvir (D54)and the lead ship of her class of guided-missile destroyers INS Delhi (D61). He also served as the Engineer officer on board the Talwar-class frigate INS Tabar (F44).[3]

Ashore, he served as the Command Engineer Officer at the Eastern Naval Command, Assistant General Manager (Quality, Lab and Human Resources) and Assistant General Manager (Production) at the Naval Dockyard (Visakhapatnam).[4] As a Commodore, he served as the General Manager (Refit) at Naval Dockyard (Visakhapatnam). He subsequently moved to NHQ as the principal director of ship production.[5]

Flag rank edit

On promotion to flag rank, Deshmukh was appointed Assistant Chief of Materiel (Dockyards & Refits) at Naval headquarters (NHQ). He then moved to the Eastern Naval Command as the Chief Staff Officer (Technical) to the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command. In November 2018, he was appointed Admiral Superintendent (ASD) of Naval Dockyard (Visakhapatnam).[3] For his tenure as ASD, he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal on 26 January 2020.[6] In the same month, he was promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral and took over as the Director General Naval Projects, Visakhapatnam.[7]

After a sixteen-month tenure, he moved to NHQ and took over as the Controller Warship Production & Acquisition (CWP&A) from Vice Admiral Sandeep Naithani.[8] In his tenure as CWP&A, the first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-I) was commissioned as INS Vikrant (2013). The historic first trap of HAL Tejas on board the carrier was also achieved. Apart from this, the. keel laying, launch and commissioning of a number of frontline warships and submarines were achieved in his tenure.[9]

In December 2023, he was appointed Chief of Materiel, a principal staff officer (PSO) at NHQ.[10] He took over from Vice Admiral Sandeep Naithani on 31 December 2023. He also is the Senior most Technical Officer in the Indian Navy.[11]

Awards and decorations edit

Deshmukh was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2013 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2020.[3]

       
     
   
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Vishisht Seva Medal Operation Vijay Medal Operation Parakram Medal
75th Anniversary of Independence Medal 50th Anniversary of Independence Medal 30 Years Long Service Medal
20 Years Long Service Medal 9 Years Long Service Medal

References edit

  1. ^ "VICE ADMIRAL KIRAN DESHMUKH, AVSM, VSM, ASSUMES CHARGE AS THE CHIEF OF MATERIEL". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh, AVSM, VSM Assumed Charge as the Controller Warship Production and Acquisition". indiannavy.nic.in. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Vizag Appointments - Rear Admiral Kiran Deshmukh takes over charge as Admiral Superintendent Naval Dockyard". vizagcityonline.com. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute Alumni Association". vjtialumni.com. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Vice Admiral Kiran Manikrao Deshmukh takes over as DGNP, Visakhapatnam". business-standard.com. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Distinguished service and gallantry award winners on Republic day 2020". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Vice Admiral Kiran Manikrao Deshmukh takes over as DGNP, Visakhapatnam". aninews.in. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  8. ^ Service, Uniindia News. "Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmkh takes over as Controller, Warship Production and Acquisition". www.uniindia.com. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Four senior officers assume new roles in Army and Navy". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Major reshuffle in Navy: Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi to be new Vice Chief". PTC News. 2023-12-05.
  11. ^ "VICE ADMIRAL KIRAN DESHMUKH, AVSM, VSM, ASSUMES CHARGE AS THE CHIEF OF MATERIEL". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
Military offices
Preceded by Controller Warship Production & Acquisition
2021 - 2023
Succeeded by
B. Sivakumar
Chief of Materiel
2023 - Present
Incumbent