The Indian Coast Guard is celebrating its 38th Anniversary on 01 Feb 15. An Armed Force of the union, under the Ministry of Defence, the Indian Coast Guard has come a long way from its modest beginning in 1978. Today, with more than 100 ships and 60 aircraft, Indian Coast Guard is amongst the largest Coast Guards in the world. Though initially envisaged for the role to curb the economic offences, Coast Guard has now acquired leadership role in various fields of the national maritime arena. Indian Coast Guard is the nodal Central Coordinating Authority for the National Maritime Search and Rescue, Marine Oil Spill Disaster Planning, Preparedness Response and coordination of Offshore and Coastal Security. To support these onerous responsibilities, the Indian Coast Guard is operating from five Regional Headquarters, 14 District Headquarters located in each coastal state and 42 Stations situated along the coast line.
With Service motto as “Vayam Rakshamah” (We Protect), the Coast Guard Search and Rescue efforts have been instrumental in saving more than 6500 lives since inception, amounting to one life saved every other day. The Coast Guard continues to transform itself into an effective maritime force through acquisition of state of art indigenously designed and built ships and aircraft, consolidation of manpower & infrastructure and honing professional competencies through regular and rigorous training. By the turn of present decade, the Coast Guard is likely to have an inventory of 150 ships and 100 aircraft.
The President, Prime Minister and Defence Minister also congratulated the Indian Coast Guard on completion of 38 glorious years and its role in national maritime security.
The traditional CG Reception ceremony held on the eve of Coast Guard Day was graced by the Hon’be Raksha Mantri, Shri Manohar Parikar. The Service Chiefs along with dignitaries and senior officials from the Ministry of Defence also attended the ceremony. The Defence Minister on the occasion appreciated the pivotal role of Coast Guard in ensuring the India’s maritime interests in the Indian Ocean Region.
The Coast Guard also witnesses the new Director General at helm from today as Vice Admiral HCS Bisht, AVSM assumes the responsibilities of Director General Indian Coast Guard from Vice Admiral Anurag G Thapliyal AVSM & Bar who retired from service on superannuation on 31 Jan 14.
INDIAN COAST GUARD GETS NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL
On the 38th Raising day of the Indian Coast Guard on 01 Feb 15, Vice Admiral HCS Bisht AVSM took over the helms of the service as the 21st Director General Indian Coast Guard. He succeeded Vice Admiral Anurag Thapliyal AVSM & Bar, who retired from the service on superannuation. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy Khadakvasla, Pune and the Naval Academy Kochi, the Admiral was commissioned in the Executive Branch of the Indian Navy on 01 Jul 1979 and is a Gunnery Specialist.
The Flag Officer is a graduate of the 1992 batch of the Royal Naval Staff College, Greenwich (UK). He also attended the Naval Higher Command Course at the College of Naval Warfare, Karanja, Mumbai in 2001 and completed the 47th NDC course at New Delhi in 2007.
The Admiral has held a number of important afloat, training and staff appointments which includes commissioning Commanding Officer of the Missile Corvette INS Kora, Commanding Officer of the Stealth Frigate, INS Tabar and DA at the High Commission of India, Singapore. His flag appointments include Assistant Controller of Carrier Projects, Chief of Staff Southern Naval Command, Flag Officer Sea Training at Kochi, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet at Visakhapatnam, Asst Chief of Personnel (HRD) and Controller Personnel Services (CPS) at IHQ, MoD(N).
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