Rear Admiral Jha takes over command of Maharashtra Naval area

Mumbai, Oct 18 (PTI) Rear Admiral Shantanu Jha has taken over the command of Maharashtra Naval Area (MNA) from Rear Admiral Anil Jaggi, the Navy said on Saturday.

Jha took over at a ceremonial parade held at INS Kunjali on Friday.

Rear Admiral Jha was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1993. A graduate of the National Defence Academy, he is a specialist in navigation and direction.

He has navigated six frontline frigates and destroyers, as well as the aircraft carrier, INS Viraat. He has served as the Executive Officer of the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, and his sea commands have included the command of IN ships Nishank, Kora, and Sahyadri.

His staff tenures include serving as Joint Director (Personnel), Naval Assistant to Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Commodore (Foreign Cooperation), and Commodore (Strategy, Concepts & Transformation) at NHQ New Delhi. He has also served as India's Naval Attache at the Embassy of India at Tehran, Iran, the Indian Navy said in a statement.

A graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and the Royal College of Defence Studies, London, Rear Admiral Jha holds Master's degrees in Defence Studies from Madras University and in International Security and Strategy from King's College, London.

A recipient of the Nao Sena Medal, he has also been commended by the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Commander-in-Chief on four occasions.

On promotion to Flag rank on January 15, he was appointed as the Chief Staff Officer (Operations), Eastern Naval Command, which he had previously held prior to assuming command of the Maharashtra Naval Area, it added. PTI PR NSK