Prerna Deosthalee | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance |  India |
| Service |  Indian Navy |
| Years of service | 2009–present |
| Commands | INS Trinkat (T61) |
Lieutenant Commander Prerna Deosthalee is a serving officer in the Indian Navy. She is the first woman officer to command an Indian Naval Warship. She is also the first female observer of the Navy on the Tupolev Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance aircraft.
Deosthalee was born in Mumbai and attended the Convent of Jesus and Mary, Mumbai. She later attended the St. Xavier's College, Mumbai where she obtained a post-graduate degree in psychology. Her brother is also an officer of the Indian Navy. [1]
Deosthalee was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 2009. A Naval air observer, she served on the P-8I, a maritime reconnaissance aircraft. She later became the first female Observer on the Tupolev Tu-142. [1] She served as the First Lieutenant of the Kolkata-class destroyer INS Chennai (D65). [2]
In December 2023, she became the first woman to be appointed commanding officer (CO) of an Indian Naval Warship. She was appointed as the CO of the lead ship of her class of Water Jet fast attack crafts INS Trinkat (T61). [3] This followed the Indian Navy's philosophy of 'all roles-all ranks' for female personnel. [4] [5] The Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet Rear Admiral C. R. Praveen Nair handed over the appointment letter to her. [6]
Deosthalee is married to a naval officer. The couple has a daughter. [1]
The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates significantly in the Persian Gulf Region, the Horn of Africa, the Strait of Malacca, and routinely conducts anti-piracy operations and partners with other navies in the region. It also conducts routine two to three month-long deployments in the South and East China seas as well as in the western Mediterranean sea simultaneously.
INS Mumbai is the third of the Delhi-class guided-missile destroyers in active service with the Indian Navy.
INS Rajali, is an Indian naval air station located near Arakkonam, Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu in southern India. It operates under the Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy, and has the longest military runway in Asia.
INS Shivalik (F47) is the lead ship of her class of stealth multi-role frigates built for the Indian Navy. She is the first stealth warship built by India. She was built at the Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) located in Mumbai. Construction of the vessel began in 2001 and was completed by 2009. She underwent sea trials from thereon before being commissioned on 29 April 2010.
Admiral Arun Prakash, PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM is a former Flag Officer of the Indian Navy. He served as the Chief of the Naval Staff from 31 July 2004 to 31 October 2006 and as the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee from 31 January 2005 to 31 October 2006. He is one of India's most decorated naval officers.
The Veer-class corvettes of the Indian Navy are a customised Indian variant of the Soviet Tarantul class. They form the 22nd Missile Vessel Squadron.
Fort Convent School/Convent School was founded in 1855 by the Convent of Jesus and Mary in Fort, Mumbai, India.
The Tupolev Tu-142 is a Soviet/Russian maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft derived from the Tu-95 turboprop strategic bomber. A specialised communications variant designated Tu-142MR was tasked with long-range communications duties with Soviet ballistic missile submarines. The Tu-142 was designed by the Tupolev design bureau, and manufactured by the Kuibyshev Aviation and Taganrog Machinery Plants from 1968 to 1994. Formerly operated by the Soviet Navy and Ukrainian Air Force, the Tu-142 currently serves with the Russian Navy.
The INAS 312 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Rajali.
The INAS 322 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Garuda, Kochi.
The INAS 550 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Venduruthy, Kochi.
Kiran Shekhawat was the first Indian Navy woman officer to be killed in the line of duty. On a flight as an observer with the Indian Navy, the woman Naval officer was martyred in a Dornier crash off the Goa coast on 24 March 2015. Lt. Shekhawat was the wife of another Naval officer, Vivek Chhoker.
MCGS Huravee, formerly INS Tarmugli is a patrol vessel of the Car Nicobar-class of Indian Navy and the first ship in the series of four Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC). The ship was commissioned by Vice Admiral HCS Bisht AVSM, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command. The indigenously conceived, designed and built ship, named after an island of same name in the Andaman archipelago is capable of operating in shallow waters at high speeds. Built for extended coastal and off-shore surveillance and patrol duties the warship is fitted with advanced MTU engines, water jet propulsion as well as latest communication equipment.
In the Indian Armed Forces women are allowed to join mainly in combat service support branches and in non combatant roles. The Indian Air Force had 13.09% female officers in 2018 and 8.50% female officers in 2014; the Indian Navy had 6% female officers in 2018 and 3% female officers in 2014 and the Indian Army had 3.80% female officers in 2018 and 3% female officers in 2014. In 2020, three officers had the rank of lieutenant-general or equivalent, all in the Medical Services. In May 2021, 83 women were inducted as sepoys for the first time in the Indian Army's Corps of Military Police. On 30 March 2023, 273 women were inducted in the Indian Navy as sailos for the first time in the history of the Indian Navy, total 2,585 agniveers passed out after successful completion of training from INS Chilka. The Indian Air Force got airwomen for the first time in its history on 7 March 2024 as 153 female agniveers passed out from the Airmen Training School, Belagavi with 2,127 male agniveers.
The Western Fleet is a Naval fleet of the Indian Navy. It is known as the 'Sword Arm' of the Indian Navy. It is headquartered at Mumbai, Maharashtra on the west coast of India. It is a part of the Western Naval Command and is responsible for the naval forces in the Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean.
The Eastern Fleet is a Naval fleet of the Indian Navy. It is known as the 'Sword Arm' of the Eastern Naval Command and called the Sunrise Fleet. It is headquartered at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on the east coast of India. It is a part of the Eastern Naval Command and is responsible for the naval forces in the Bay of Bengal and parts of the Indian Ocean.
Vice Admiral Puneet Kumar Bahl, AVSM, VSM is a former officer in the Indian Navy. He last served as the Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy. He previously served as the Director General Project Seabird, Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area (FOMA) in Mumbai and as the Flag Officer Commanding Goa Naval Area (FOGA) and Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA) in Goa.
The Review of the Fleet by the President of India is an event where ships, submarines and aircraft from the Indian Navy are paraded to be reviewed by the President of India. The President of India as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces reviews the Indian fleet as Head of the Republic.