Rear Admiral Atul Anand has taken charge as the deputy commandant and chief instructor of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla from Rear Admiral SK Grewal.
Anand is a second generation armed forces officer whose father is also an alumnus of the NDA (13th course). Commissioned in 1988 in the executive branch of the Indian Navy, the flag officer is a specialist in navigation and direction. The admiral is an alumnus of the NDA (71st course), Defence Services Command and Staff College, Bangladesh and National Defence College, New Delhi. He has also attended the prestigious advance security cooperation course at the Asia-Pacific centre for security studies, Hawaii, USA.
A recipient of the Vishisht Seva Medal, the Admiral has commanded Indian Naval Ships Torpedo Recovery Vessel A72, Missile Boat INS Chatak, Corvette INS Khukri and the Destroyer INS Mumbai. INS Chatak was awarded the Unit Citation and thereafter INS Mumbai was adjudged as the Best Ship of Western Fleet during his Command. He also served as Direction Officer of the Sea Harrier Squadron INAS 300 and Executive Officer of the Destroyer INS Delhi. His important staff appointments include Joint Director Staff Requirements ,Directing Staff at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Director Naval Operations, Director Naval Intelligence (Operations), Principal Director Naval Operations and Principal Director Strategy, Concepts and Transformation. Prior to this appointment, he served as the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Foreign Cooperation and Intelligence) at IHQ MoD(Navy), New Delhi.