Article Posted on : - Feb 01, 2016

Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba at the Western Naval Command in Mumbai on January 31, 2016. A PIB photo

MUMBAI (PTI): Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba on Sunday took charge as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Western Naval Command (WNC) from Vice Admiral S P S Cheema at a ceremonial parade held in Mumbai.

Officers of the WNC accorded Vice Admiral Cheema a warm send-off with the traditional 'Pulling Out' ceremony.

Cheema retired after completing nearly four decades of service in the Navy.

Calling the personnel who participated in the parade as his 'ship mates', Vice Admiral Cheema expressed his gratitude to all personnel of the command for their support and their dedicated efforts in the functioning of the command.

Recounting his service, he said he had seen many changes in the Indian Navy in terms of technology, quality of manpower and resources.

The spirit of enthusiasm, ability to face all odds and above all, a deep sense of patriotism has not changed among the men in uniform, he said.

Vice Admiral Lanba, a specialist in Navigation and Direction and an alumnus of Defence Services Staff College, has rich operational and staff experience of a career spanning more than three decades.

He has served as Navigating Officer of INS Sindhudurg (Corvette) and INS Dunagiri (frigate). During his illustrious service, he commanded four frontline warships, namely INS Kakinada (Minesweeper), INS Himgiri (Frigate), INS Ranvijay and INS Mumbai (Destroyers).

He is an alumnus of the College of Defence Management, Secunderabad, where he also served as a faculty.

He has also held important staff assignments such as Fleet Operations Officer of Western Fleet and Chief of Staff of Southern Naval Command and Eastern Naval Command.

He has also been the Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST), Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra and Gujarat Naval Area, Commandant of National Defence College and Vice Chief of Naval Staff.

He was Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command at Kochi, prior to being appointed to head the premier operational Command of the Indian Navy.

Vice Admiral Lanba is a recipient of the Param Vishist Seva Medal and the Athi Vishist Seva Medal for distinguished service of an exceptionally high order.

His wife Reena Lanba, who is a teacher, will now preside over the Navy Wives Welfare Association (Western Region).