Chief Hydrographer

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Chief Hydrographer
Flag of the Vice Admiral
Incumbent
Vice Admiral Lochan Singh Pathania
since 1 February 2024
 Indian Navy
Reports toVice Chief of the Naval Staff
SeatNational Hydrographic Office, Dehradun
SalaryJoint Chief Hydrographer

The Chief Hydrographer to the Government of India is a senior appointment in the Indian Navy. The Chief Hydrographer is the executive head of the National Hydrographic Office. The appointment is held by a Three star officer in the rank of Vice Admiral. The current Chief Hydrographer is Vice Admiral Lochan Singh Pathania who took over on 1 February 2024.

History

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The Marine Survey of India (MSI) was established in 1874 at Kolkata and was responsible for hydrographic surveys. It was headed by the Surveyor-in-Charge, who functioned under the Surveyor General of India.[1] After the partition of India, the only survey vessel HMIS Investigator was allotted to the MSI. On 1 Jun 1954, MSI was relocated to Dehradun, its present location, and was renamed Naval Hydrographic Office. The appointment of Surveyor-in-Charge Marine Survey of India was re-designated Chief Hydrographer of the Navy. Captain SJ Hennessy took over as the first Chief Hydrographer.[2][3]

The following year, on 26 November 1955, Captain Jal Cursetji, the senior most Indian officer in the Hydrographic Survey branch was appointed the first Chief Hydrographer.[4] In 1964, with the increase in the responsibilities of the appointment, the Chief Hydrographer was re-designated as the Chief Hydrographer to the Government of India.[5]

Organisational structure of the NHO.

Rear Admiral F. L. Fraser was the first Chief Hydrographer to be promoted to Flag rank, in 1977.[6] Rear Admiral K. R. Srinivasan had the longest tenure, almost 10 years. Vice Admiral B. R. Rao was the first Chief Hydrographer to be promoted to three-star rank.[7]

Current organisation

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The Chief Hydrogapher is assisted by the Joint Chief Hydrographer, a two-star officer of the rank of Rear Admiral. The units under the Chief Hydrographer are:

  • National Hydrographic Office, Dehradun
  • Directorate of Hydrography, Naval Headquarters
  • National Institute of Hydrography, Goa
  • Survey vessels at Chennai, Karwar, Kochi and Visakhapatnam
  • Survey Units at Karwar, Kochi, Mumbai, Sri Vijayapuram and Visakhapatnam
  • Charts Depots at Mumbai and Visakhapatnam

Chief Hydrographers

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S.No. Name Assumed office Left office Notes
1 Captain S. J. Hennessy OBE, FRICS 15 August 1954 25 November 1955 [2]
2 Captain Jal Cursetji 26 November 1955 27 October 1957 Later Chief of the Naval Staff.[8]
3 Captain I. K. Puri 27 October 1957 28 May 1961 [9]
4 Captain J. S. Mehra 29 May 1961 4 June 1962
5 Captain S. Rajendra 5 June 1962 3 January 1966
6 Commodore D. C. Kapoor AVSM 4 January 1966 30 July 1972 First Asian to serve as Director of International Hydrographic Organisation.[10]
7 Rear Admiral F. L. Fraser AVSM 31 July 1972[n 1] 31 May 1982 First Chief Hydrographer to be promoted to Flag rank.
8 Rear Admiral A. G. Moraes 1 June 1982 29 December 1986
9 Rear Admiral V. K. Singh VSM 30 December 1986 31 May 1991 [12]
10 Rear Admiral P. P. Nandi AVSM, VSM 1 June 1991 8 June 1994 Died in harness.[13]
11 Rear Admiral K. R. Srinivasan AVSM, NM, VSM 30 August 1994 30 June 2004 Longest tenure as Chief Hydrographer.[14]
11 Vice Admiral B. R. Rao AVSM, NM, VSM 1 July 2004 30 September 2011 First Chief Hydrographer to be promoted to Vice Admiral.
12 Vice Admiral S. K. Jha AVSM, NM 1 October 2011 31 December 2015 [15]
13 Vice Admiral Vinay Bhadwar AVSM, NM 1 January 2016 30 September 2021 [16]
14 Vice Admiral Adhir Arora AVSM, NM 1 October 2021 31 January 2024 [17]
15 Vice Admiral Lochan Singh Pathania 1 February 2024 Present Current Chief Hydrographer.[18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Hiranandani 1999.
  2. ^ a b "Chief Hydrographer". NHO. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  3. ^ Doraibabu & Godbole 2023.
  4. ^ Singh 2018.
  5. ^ Hiranandani 2005.
  6. ^ "CHIEF HYDROGRAPHER TO GOVERNMENT OF INDIA RETIRES" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  7. ^ "Mangalore: Vice Admiral B R Rao Makes His District Proud". www.daijiworld.com. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  8. ^ "Indian Navy During 1954-55" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  9. ^ "Admiral Katari visits Naval Hydrographic Office" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  10. ^ "Indian Naval officer appointed Director of International Hydrographic Organisation" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  11. ^ "CHIEF HYDROGRAPHER TO GOVERNMENT OF INDIA RETIRES" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  12. ^ "Joint IOC-IHO Guiding Committee for the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans" (PDF). jodc.go.jp. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  13. ^ "Rear Admiral PP Nandi, AVSM, VSM passes away" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  14. ^ "INDIAN NAVAL HYDROGRAPHIC DEPARTMENT GETS INTERNATIONAL MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AWARD". archive.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  15. ^ Service, Express News (20 December 2014). "Survey ship Decommissioned". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  16. ^ archive, From our online (19 May 2020). "India's Chief Hydrographer Vice Admiral Vinay Badhwar wins UK award". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  17. ^ "VICE ADMIRAL ADHIR ARORA, NM ASSUMES CHARGE AS CHIEF HYDROGRAPHER TO THE GOVT OF INDIA". www.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
  18. ^ "Vice Admiral Lochan Singh Pathania assumes charge as Chief Hydrographer to the Govt. Of India". indiannavy.gov.in. Retrieved 25 September 2025.

Notes

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  1. ^ Promoted to Rear Admiral in 1977[11]

Bibliography

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  • Doraibabu, M; Godbole, Amrut (2023), A Decade of Transformation: The Indian Navy 2011-2021, Harper Collins Publishers India, ISBN 9789394407909
  • Hiranandani, G. M. (1999), Transition to Triumph: History of the Indian Navy, 1965-1975, Spantech & Lancer, ISBN 978-1897829721
  • Hiranandani, G M (2005), Transition to eminence : the Indian navy 1976-1990, Lancer Publishers, ISBN 978-8170622666
  • Hiranandani, G. M. (2010), Transition to Guardianship: The Indian Navy 1991-2000, Lancer InterConsult, Incorporated, ISBN 978-1935501268
  • Singh, Anup (2018), Blue Waters Ahoy!: The Indian Navy 2001-2010, HarperCollins Publishers India, ISBN 978-9353025526