Vijai Singh Shekhawat

Gazette Notification: 86 Pres/72 15-7-72

Operation: 1971

CITATION

COMMANDER VIJAI SINGH SHEKHAWAT

(00189-B)

During the operations against Pakistan in December 1971, Commander Vijai Singh Shekhawat was the commanding officer of an Indian naval submarine. Despite the fact that the patrol duties of his ship were such that he was under constant surveillance by enemy air and surface forces, he continued to carry out his hazardous patrol and thereby posed a constant underwater threat to the enemy.

His probes of the near approaches to Karachi obtained vital information for the Indian Navy. Throughout, Commander Shekhawat displayed gallantry, leadership and professional skill of a high order.

Promoted to substantive commander on 31 December 1971, ^[5] Shekhawat served as director of the Indian Navy Submarine Arm from 1975 to 1977. After attending the US Naval War College from 1977 to 1978, Shekhawat was promoted to captain on 1 July 1978, ^[6] and served from 1979 to 1981 as the Chief Instructor at the National Defence Academy. ^[1]

Flag Rank

Shekhawat was promoted to acting Rear Admiral on 21 June 1984 (substantive from 30 June), ^[7] and served as the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff. ^[8] He was given command of the Western Fleet during Operation Brasstacks. He was promoted to Vice Admiral on 8 August 1988, ^[9] with appointment as Director General of the tri-service Defence Planning Staff. and obtained the rank of Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command in December 1990. In 1992, Shekhawat was promoted to the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, and in September 1993 he was again promoted to Chief of the Naval Staff, becoming the first and only till date officer from the submarine branch to become Chief of Naval Staff. ^[2] Shekhawat retired in 1996. ^[2]

Personal life

Shekhawat is married to Mrs. Binu Shekhawat and has two sons, one of whom is a pilot with the Indian Navy. ^[1]

Admiral V S Shekhawat PVSM, AVSM, VrC, ADC
14th Chief of the Naval Staff
In office 1 October 1993 –1 October 1996

Param Vishisht Seva Medal	Ati Vishisht Seva Medal	Vir Chakra	Samar Seva Star
Poorvi Star	Paschimi Star	Raksha Medal	Sangram Medal
25th Independence Anniversary Medal	30 Years Long Service Medal	20 Years Long Service Medal	9 Years Long Service Medal

References

1. "Admiral Vijai Singh Shekhawat". Bahara Rakshak. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
2. Abidi, S. Sartaj Alam; Sharma, Satinder (2007). Services Chiefs of India. Northern Book Centre. p. 127. ISBN   9788172111625 . Retrieved 14 June 2017.
3. "VS SHEKHAWAT | Gallantry Awards". gallantryawards.gov.in.
4. "Vir Chakra (VrC), Awardee: Adm Vijai Singh Shekhawat, PVSM, AVSM, VrC, ADC @ TWDI". twdi.in.
5. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 23 September 1972. p. 1422.
6. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 14 July 1979. p. 642.
7. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 13 April 1985. p. 509.
8. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 12 July 1986. p. 1062.
9. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 12 June 1993. p. 1077.

Military offices
Preceded by S. C. Chopra	Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet 1986–1987	Succeeded by KASZ Raju
Preceded by S. W. Lakhkar	Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area 1987–1988	Succeeded by P. A. Debrass
Preceded by Laxminarayan Ramdas	Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command 1990–1992	Succeeded by B Guha
Preceded by S. P. Govil	Vice Chief of the Naval Staff 1992–1993	Succeeded by S. K. Chand
Preceded by Laxminarayan Ramdas	Chief of the Naval Staff 1993–1996	Succeeded by Vishnu Bhagwat
Preceded by Air Chief Marshal S. K. Kaul	Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee 1995–1996	Succeeded by General Shankar Roychowdhury