Captain Rahul Pawar assumed charge as Officer-in-Charge of the Navigation Direction School from Captain Kunal Bharadwaj on May 15, 2026.
Prior to taking over the appointment, Capt Pawar served in the Directorate of Naval Plans at Naval Headquarters.
An alumnus of the Indian Naval Academy, he was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 2003.
A specialist in Navigation Direction, the officer has served as Navigating Officer onboard INS Karmuk, INS Ranvijay, and as the commissioning Navigating Officer of INS Kolkata.
He also possesses operational sea training experience as Staff Officer (Navigation Direction) at the Indian Naval Work Up Team (INWT).
Capt Pawar is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and was recognised as the Best in Academics at the Malaysian Armed Forces Defence College.
During his naval career, he has commanded INS Karmuk and INS Gaj.
The Navigation Direction School plays a key role in training Indian Navy personnel in advanced navigation, tactical manoeuvring, and operational direction skills essential for modern maritime operations.
