Vice Admiral Alok Ananda, YSM, assumed charge as the 13th Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, on August 1, 2026, marking the beginning of a new chapter at the premier naval training institution. He succeeded Vice Admiral Manish Chadha, AVSM, VSM, whose tenure as Commandant was marked by visionary leadership, professionalism and an unwavering commitment to maintaining the quality of training at the Academy.
Vice Admiral Alok Ananda is a distinguished Flag Officer with more than three decades of service in the Indian Navy. He is an alumnus of the Naval Academy, Goa, and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1993.
A specialist in Navigation and Direction, Vice Admiral Ananda has undergone advanced professional military education during his naval career. He completed the Staff Course at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington and later attended the National Defence Course at the National Defence College in Thailand.
Throughout his career, Vice Admiral Alok Ananda has held several important operational, staff and instructional appointments. These assignments have provided him with extensive experience in naval operations, professional military training, policy formulation and strategic planning.
His command appointments at sea include INS Ghorpad and INS Satpura. These assignments formed an important part of his operational career and added to his experience in leading Indian Navy warships.
Vice Admiral Ananda has also served in multiple instructional roles. He was an instructor at the National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla, the Navigation and Direction School in Kochi and the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington.
His experience as an instructor at these institutions reflects his long association with military education and professional training. This instructional background will be particularly relevant in his new role as Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy. At Naval Headquarters, Vice Admiral Ananda held several key appointments, including Commodore Naval Operations and Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff for Policy and Plans.
These important staff assignments placed him in roles connected with naval operations, policy and planning. His experience at Naval Headquarters added a strategic dimension to his extensive operational and instructional background.
In recognition of his distinguished service, Vice Admiral Alok Ananda was awarded the Yudh Seva Medal in 2016. Before taking over as Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy, Vice Admiral Ananda was commanding the prestigious Eastern Fleet at Visakhapatnam. His tenure as Commander of the Eastern Fleet was the latest major operational appointment in his career before he moved to Ezhimala to lead the Indian Naval Academy.
With his assumption of charge as the 13th Commandant, Vice Admiral Alok Ananda will now head the Academy and oversee its training responsibilities. His extensive experience in operational command, staff duties, policy and planning, along with his instructional appointments, will form the foundation of his leadership at the Indian Naval Academy.
The change of command also marks the conclusion of Vice Admiral Manish Chadha’s tenure at the Academy. His leadership was recognised for its professionalism, vision and continued focus on quality training. Vice Admiral Alok Ananda now takes over the responsibility of leading the Indian Naval Academy as it continues its role in training future officers for service in the Indian Navy.
