Rear Admiral

Vikram Menon

VSM
Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Navy
Years of service1990 - present
Rank Rear Admiral
Commands heldGoa Naval Area
INS Hansa
INS Shakti (A57)
INAS 552
INS Sharada (P55)
INS Tillanchang (T62)
Awards Vishisht Seva Medal

Rear Admiral Vikram Menon, VSM is a serving flag officer of the Indian Navy. He currently serves as the Joint Secretary (Navy & Defence Staff) at the Department of Military Affairs. He previously served as the Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA) and Flag Officer Goa Naval Area (FOGA), and as the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Air) at Naval headquarters.

Menon graduated from the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 January 1990. He trained as a Naval aviator. He qualified as a fighter pilot on the British Aerospace Sea Harrier. He has over 2000 hours of flying experience and became a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI). He was a senior pilot in INAS 300, the longest serving combat unit of the Indian Navy. He has flown the Sea Harrier extensively from the aircraft carrier INS Viraat (R22)[1]

Menon commanded the Trinkat-class patrol vessel INS Tillanchang (T62) and the Sukanya-class patrol vessel INS Sharada (P55). He also commanded the Naval Flight Test Squadron INAS 552. As a Captain, he commanded the Deepak-class fleet tanker INS Shakti (A57). He was in command of INS Shakti during the International Fleet Review 2016 at Visakhapatnam. As part of the Eastern Fleet in 2015, INS Shakti, under his command, visited Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia and Australia as part of India's Act East policy.[2]

He also served as the executive officer of the Rajput-class Guided-missile destroyer INS Ranvijay (D55). He subsequently attended the Higher Naval Command course at the Naval War College, Goa.[3] Menon then served as the Director of Aircraft Acquisition at Naval Headquarters.

Promoted to the rank of commodore, Menon took over as Commanding officer (CO) of the Naval air station INS Hansa in Goa. For his tenure as CO INS Hansa, he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal on 26 January 2018.[4][5] He subsequently served as the Chief Staff Officer (Air) at Headquarters Naval Aviation to the then FONA Rear Admiral P. G. Pynumootil.[1]

Flag rank

Menon was promoted to flag rank and appointed Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air) at Naval Headquarters. On 30 April 2022, he was appointed Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA). During this tenure, he also dual-hatted as the Flag Officer Goa Area (FOGA). He took over as FOGA/FONA from Rear Admiral Philipose George Pynumootil.[1][6] After about one-and-a-half years as FOGA/FONA, Menon was appointed Joint Secretary (Navy & Defence Staff) at the Department of Military Affairs.[7]

Awards and decorations

Vishisht Seva Medal Operation Vijay Star Operation Vijay Medal Operation Parakram Medal
Sainya Seva Medal 50th Anniversary of Independence Medal 20 Years Long Service Medal 9 Years Long Service Medal

References

  1. 1 2 3 "REAR ADMIRAL VIKRAM MENON TAKES OVER AS FOGA". www.pib.gov.in.
  2. ↑ "Visit of Indian Naval Ships to Thailand" (PDF). mea.gov.in. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  3. ↑ "Rear Admiral Vikram Menon takes over as FOGA | Indian Navy". www.indiannavy.nic.in.
  4. ↑ "390 Republic Day Gallantry and Other Defence Decorations Announced". www.pib.gov.in.
  5. ↑ "Medal Winners | Indian Navy". indiannavy.nic.in.
  6. ↑ May 1, Newton Sequeira / TNN / Updated. "Rear Admiral Vikram Menon takes charge as FOGA | Goa News - Times of India". The Times of India.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ↑ "Who's Who". mod.gov.in. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
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