The Chief of Personnel (COP) in the
Indian Navy is a senior appointment in the rank of
Vice-Admiral. As a Principal Staff Officer (PSO) at Naval Headquarters (NHQ), the COP is responsible for personnel-related matters. The present COP is Vice-Admiral
Suraj Berry
Vice Admiral Suraj Berry, AVSM, NM, VSM is a serving Flag officer in the Indian Navy. He currently serves as the Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Forces Command. He previously served as the Chief of Personnel, as the Controller of Personnel Ser ...
, who was appointed on 1 April 2023.
History
At the time of
Independence of India
The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947.
The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged ...
, the COP was one of five PSOs at Naval headquarters. The appointment was held by an officer of the rank of
Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
. On 24 September 1956, the appointment was upgraded to the rank of
Commodore (Second Class).
The directorates of personnel services, training education, medical services, judge advocate general and the supply branch were under the COP.
In 1965, the appointment was further upgraded to
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...
. Rear Admiral
K. R. Nair was the first COP in this rank, when he took over on 17 August 1965.
The post was further upgraded to
Vice Admiral in March 1973.
During this re-organisation, an assistant PSO post was created - Assistant Chief of Personnel (ACOP) - a
two-star appointment. In the 1980s, two new directorates were formed under the COP - Financial Planning (Non-public funds) in 1985 and Ex-Servicemen Affairs (DESA) in 1988.
Organisation
The COP heads the Personnel Branch at the Naval Headquarters. The following Directors General/Controllers/Assistant Principal Staff Officers report into the COP.
* Controller of Personnel Services
* Director General Medical Services
** Assistant Director General Medical Services
* Assistant Chief of Personnel (HRD)
* Assistant Chief of Personnel (Administration and Civilian)
* Judge Advocate General
Appointees
Notes
References
Bibliography
*{{citation, first1=G.M., last1=Hiranandani, title=Transition to Triumph: History of the Indian Navy, 1965-1975, year=1999, isbn= 978-1897829721, publisher= Spantech & Lancer
*
Indian military appointments
Indian Navy appointments