Mumbai: Indian Vice-Admiral Surinder Pal Singh Cheema today took over the reins of the Western Naval Command (WNC) as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) from Vice Admiral Anil Chopra at a ceremonial parade held at INS Shikra, a naval air station at Colaba, South Mumbai.

Later in the day, officers of the WNC accorded Chopra a warm send off, with the traditional ‘Pulling Out’ ceremony, marking the completion of his four decades of service to the country and the Navy.

Cheema has a very good grip of the command as he has had the experience and exposure of serving in Mumbai in various capacities over the last four decades or so. Of the five frontline and prestigious ships that he has commanded, three have been in Mumbai — missile boat Indian Naval Ship (INS) Nishank, guided missile frigate INS Trishul and the only aircraft carrier the Indian Navy had at that time, INS Viraat. Cheema then went on to command the Sword Arm of the Indian Navy — the Western Fleet, which was followed by his appointment as the Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command.

Besides extended tenures at sea and operational billets, Cheema has had a very wide and diverse exposure to various critical responsibilities in the higher ranks of his service. He is a seasoned campaigner and has the unique distinction of shouldering responsibilities as a commander-in-chief for the fourth time over which is a record of sorts in the Armed Forces.

His first appointment as a C-in-C was as the head of the Tri Services HQs in Delhi as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee. He was an ideal candidate for the job having discharged two critical duties as a Principal Staff Officer in the same Tri Services HQs. His second tenure as a C-in-C was the prestigious and sensitive Command of the Strategic Forces of India. A specialist in missile and gunnery, he thereafter commanded the Southern Naval Command at Kochi before being appointed as the C-in-C of the Western Naval Command.

Apart from the prestigious national medals for distinguished service awarded to Cheema, he has earned ‘Mention in Despatches’ for duty in the face of enemy during operations in Sri Lanka in 1989 and has also been awarded the Nau Sena Medal (Gallantry) while commanding the INS Nishank.

Cheema was commissioned into the Indian Navy on January 1977 and is a graduate of the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Nilgiris, and the College of Naval Warfare, Mumbai.