Commandant of the National Defence Academy

The Commandant of the National Defence Academy is the head and overall in-charge of the National Defence Academy. The Commandant of the Academy is a Three-star rank officer from the three Services in rotation. He is supported by the Deputy Commandant (a Two-star rank appointment)[1], Brigadier Administration (Brig Adm)[2], Principal Director (Training)[3] (both One-Star appointments), a Civilian Principal[4] and the Adjutant (An Officer of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel)[5].

Commandant of the
National Defence Academy
Incumbent
Lieutenant General Asit Mistry
AVSM, SM, VSM
TypeMilitary
StatusActive
ResidenceCommandant's Residence, National Defence Academy
SeatNational Defence Academy
Formation1 January 1949
First holderMajor General Thakur Mahadeo Singh, DSO
DeputyRear Admiral S K Grewal, NM, VSM
Websitewww.nda.nic.in

Commissioned as Joint Services Wing (JSW), the interim training academy was set up at the Indian Military Academy (IMA). The first Commandant of JSW was Major General Thakur Mahadeo Singh, DSO. The present-day National Defence Academy was constructed in Pune and was formally commissioned on 7 December 1954 as the successor to JSW of IMA. The program of JSW was transferred from IMA to NDA. Major General E Habibullah was the last head of the JSW and the First Commandant of NDA at Pune.[6]

Joint Services Wing at Indian Military Academy
S.No. Name Assumed Office Left Office Notes
1Major General Thakur Mahadeo Singh, DSO1 January 194912 March 1950First head of JSW at IMA
2Major General K S Thimayya, DSO13 March 195016 June 1951Later served as the Chief of Army Staff of Indian Army
3Major General MS Wadalia16 June 19516 January 1953
4Major General E Habibullah7 January 19536 December 1954Last head of JSW at IMA[7]

National Defence Academy
S.No. Name Assumed Office Left Office Notes
1Major General E Habibullah7 December 195426 December 1958First Commandant at NDA, Khadakwasla
2Rear Admiral Benjamin Abraham Samson27 December 19581 January 1963First non-army and also the first Naval Officer to be the Commandant. Later Flag Officer Commanding Indian Fleet (FOCIF).
3Air Vice Marshal K L Sondhi6 January 196325 September 1963First Air Force Officer to be the Commandant.
4Major General R Bakhshi, MC26 September 19638 August 1966
5Air Vice Marshal S N Goyal9 August 196618 June 1968
6Rear Admiral R N Batra19 June 196815 October 1970
7Major General S D Gupta16 October 19701 January 1973
8Air Vice Marshal M B Naik3 January 19737 March 1976
9Rear Admiral M P Awati, PVSM, VrC8 March 197622 July 1977Later served as FOC-in-C, Western Naval Command.
10Major General R K Jasbir Singh22 July 197722 May 1979
11Air Marshal M J Dotiwalla9 July 197930 June 1982First three-star air force officer (Air Marshal) to be the commandant.
12Rear Admiral R P Sawhney1 July 198215 August 1985First Ex-NDA commandant. Alumnus of the first NDA (JSW) Course.
13Lieutenant General Sami Khan, PVSM, SM16 August 19852 November 1986First three-star army officer (Lt Gen) to be the commandant. Later served as GOC-in-C Central Command.
14Lieutenant General K L K Singh12 December 198628 June 1988
15Air Marshal D S Sabhikhi, AVSM29 June 198831 August 1991
16Vice Admiral Inderjit Bedi, AVSM1 September 199111 October 1993First three-star naval officer (V Adm) to be the commandant. Later served as FOC-in-C Southern Naval Command.
17Lieutenant General S K Jetley, AVSM, SM12 October 199324 March 1995
18Air Marshal A S Sethi, ADC25 March 199531 January 1996
19Air Marshal J S Rai, VM & bar0 February 19969 January 1997
20Vice Admiral Arun Prakash, PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM31 July 199719 March 1999Later served as the Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
21Lieutenant General S B S Kochar, PVSM, AVSM13 April 199931 March 2001
22Air Marshal A K Trikha, AVSM, VSM1 April 200131 December 0202
23Vice Admiral S C S Bangara, PVSM, AVSM31 December 200224 July 2004
24Lieutenant General A K Chopra, PVSM, AVSM4 August 200430 November 2006
25Air Marshal T S Randhawa, VM1 December 200631 December 2008
26Vice Admiral R K Dhowan, AVSM, YSM1 January 200822 November 2009Later served as the Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy.
27Vice Admiral Satish Soni, AVSM, NM23 November 200931 December 2010Later served as the FOC-in-C of Southern and Eastern Commands of Indian Navy.
28Lieutenant General Jatinder Singh, AVSM & bar, SM1 January 20115 July 2012Removed from the position. Accused of being involved in recruitment scandal.[8]
29Lieutenant General Ashok Singh, AVSM, SM, VSM7 August 201231 December 2012Later served as the GOC-in-C of Southern Command of Indian Army.[9]
30Air Marshal K S Gill, AVSM, YSM, VM[10]1 January 201330 July 2014Later served as the AOC-in-C of Central Command of Indian Air Force
31Air Marshal R K S Bhadauria, AVSM, VM[11]1 August 201430 January 2015Current Chief of the Air Staff
32Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar, AVSM, VSM1 April 20154 June 2016Current Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
33Air Marshal Jasjit Singh Kler AVSM, VM4 June 201631 March 2018
34Air Marshal I P Vipin, VM1 April 201815 December 2019Current Senior Air Staff Officer at Central Air Command[12]
35Lieutenant General Asit Mistry, AVSM, SM, VSM19 February 2020Present[13]

See also

References
  1. https://nda.nic.in/dy-comdt_new.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. https://nda.nic.in/brig_adm_new.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. https://nda.nic.in/pd_trg_new.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. https://nda.nic.in/principal_new.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. https://nda.nic.in/adjutant_new.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. https://nda.nic.in/history.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. "Defence Academy recruitment scam: AK Antony orders shifting of commandant Lt. Gen Jatinder Singh". NDTV. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  8. "Lt Gen Ashok Singh to be Southern Command chief". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  9. "Air Marshal Gill takes over as new NDA Commandant – Indian Express". The Indian Express.
  10. "Air Marshal R K S Bhadauria takes charge at National Defence Academy". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  11. Feb 19, TNN. "Lt Gen Asit Mistry new NDA Commandant | Pune News". The Times of India.
  12. Feb 19, TNN. "Lt Gen Asit Mistry new NDA Commandant | Pune News". The Times of India.
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