New Delhi: Vice Admiral Atul Anand on July 3, 2023 took over as Additional Secretary, Department of Military Affairs that is steering the ongoing theaterisation drive to best utilise the military’s resources for future wars and operations. The post was previously held by Lt Gen Anil Puri, who superannuated on February 28.

Commissioned into the executive branch of the Indian Navy on January 1, 1988, Vice Admiral Anand was is an alumnus of National Defence Academy (71st Course, Delta Squadron); Defence Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur (Bangladesh) and National Defence College, New Delhi. He has also attended the Advanced Security Cooperation course at Asia Pacific Centre of Security Studies, Hawaii, USA.

Vice Admiral Anand, a recipient of Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM), has held several key appointments in his career, including the command of Torpedo Recovery Vessel INTRV A72, missile boat INS Chatak, corvette INS Khukri and the destroyer INS Mumbai. He served as the Navigating Officer of ships Sharda, Ranvijay and Jyoti, and was the Direction Officer of the Sea Harrier squadron INAS 300 and the Executive Officer of destroyer INS Delhi.

His staff appointments include Joint Director, Staff Requirements; Directing Staff at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington; Director, Naval Operations and Director, Naval Intelligence (Ops). He has served as Principal Director, Naval Operations and Principal Director, Strategy, Concepts and Transformation at Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Navy).

As a Flag Officer, he has served as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Foreign, Cooperation and Intelligence), Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor at National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla; Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval area; Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval area and Director General Naval Operations.