Vice Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, AVSM, NM is a serving Flag officer in the Indian Navy. He currently serves as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command. He earlier served as the Chief of Personnel (COP) and as the Director General of Naval Operations (DGNO), both at Naval Headquarters. His earlier appointments include Commandant of Indian Naval Academy and Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF).
Early life and education
Tripathi completed his schooling from the Sainik School Rewa, and graduated from National Defence Academy, Pune.
Naval career
Tripathi was commissioned into the Indian Navy in the Executive branch on 1 July 1985. He is a specialist in Communication and Electronic warfare. In the early years of his career, he served as a Signals Communication officer and Electronic Warfare Officer of the Guided missile destroyer, . He has completed the staff course at the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in Wellington Cantonment where he won the Thimayya Medal, the higher command course at the Naval War College, Goa. He has also attended the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island in the United States when he was awarded the Robert E Bateman International Prize.
Tripathi has commanded the Veer-class missile vessel and the Kora-class corvette . He was in command of the Kirch during the Review of the Fleet by the President of India Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam in 2005. He subsequently commanded the Talwar-class Guided missile frigate . He has also served as the executive officer of the Delhi-class Guided missile destroyer .
Tripathi has served as the Fleet Operations Officer of the Western Fleet. In his staff appointments, he has served as the Director of Naval Operations and as the Principal Director Network Centric Operations. He also served as the Principal Director Naval Plans at Naval HQ.
Flag rank
On promotion to Flag Rank, Tripathi took over as the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy and Plans) at Naval HQ. He then assumed the office of Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet on 15 January 2018. For his command of the Eastern Fleet, he was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal on 26 January 2019.
On 12 June 2019, on promotion to the rank of Vice Admiral, Tripathy took over as the Commandant of Indian Naval Academy from Vice Admiral R. B. Pandit. Under him, the INA was presented with the President's Colour, on 20 November 2019. On 13 August 2020, he assumed charge as the Director general Naval Operations (DGNO) at Naval HQ.
He assumed the charge of Chief of Personnel on 1 June 2021 succeeding Vice Admiral Ravneet Singh. After about 2 years as COP, he was appointed Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command. He took over from Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh on 1 March 2023.
Personal life
Tripathi is married to Shashi Tripathi, an artist and homemaker. The couple have a son, a lawyer.
Awards and decorations
See also
Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet
Eastern Fleet
Commandant of Indian Naval Academy
References
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people) Indian Navy vice admirals National Defence Academy (India) alumni Defence Services Staff College alumni Naval War College, Goa alumni Naval War College alumni Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Recipients of the Nau Sena Medal Flag Officers Commanding Eastern Fleet Commandants of the Indian Naval Academy Chiefs of Personnel (India)