Commodore Pradeep Patel assumes charge as Commanding Officer INS Kalinga
Dec 27, 2023
Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], December 27 : Commodore Pradeep Patel recently took over as Commanding Officer of INS Kalinga and the Station Commander, Naval Station, Bheemunipatnam, from Commodore CS Nayar.
Commodore Pradeep Patel assumed the post at a ceremony held at INS Kalinga on Tuesday, December 26. 
"Commodore Pradeep Patel was commissioned into the Indian Navy on January 1, 1996, and has served in both the Eastern and Western Naval Commands onboard the frontline warships Ranjit, Pralaya, Tabar and Trikand. The officer has a tenanted appointment as Fleet Electrical Officer in the Western Fleet," as per a press release from the Indian Navy.
Commodore Pradeep Patel underwent junior staff college in Bangladesh and an IT management course from CDAC and further completed post-graduation in defence and strategic studies from Madras University (DSSC, Wellington) and Mumbai University (NHCC), where he completed an M Phil.
"Commodore Pradeep Patel has been commended by the Chief of Naval Staff in 2003 and Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief in 2001 and 2008. The officer has commissioned INS Trikand as an electrical officer and has been closely associated with the maintenance of weapon systems," the release stated.
Meanwhile, the Indian Navy commissioned the indigenously built stealth-guided missile destroyer INS Imphal on Tuesday in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Ekanth Shinde and other dignitaries. The ship was delivered by Mazagon Dock Ltd to the Indian Navy on October 20, 2023.
According to the Defence Ministry, the ship measures 163m in length and 17m in breadth, with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes and is among the most potent warships built in India. It is propelled by four powerful gas turbines, in a combined gas and gas configuration, and is capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots.
Prior to the commissioning of INS Imphal, two destroyers of the same class, INS Visakhapatnam and INS Mormugao, were commissioned into the Navy in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
