New Delhi, 03 July (Hindustan Times). Vice Admiral Atul Anand took over as Additional Secretary, Department of Military Affairs (DMA) on Monday. The post, earlier held by Lt Gen Anil Puri, was lying vacant for four months after his retirement on February 28. The department is headed by the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) as Secretary and is designed to promote synergy among the three services.
Vice Admiral Atul Anand was commissioned into the Executive Branch of the Indian Navy on 01 Jan 1988. He is an alumnus of the National Defense Academy (71st Course, Delta Squadron). He is an alumnus of National Defense Academy (71st Course, Delta Squadron), Defense Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur (Bangladesh) and National Defense College, New Delhi. Vice Admiral Atul Anand has been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM). He has also attended the Advanced Security Cooperation Course at the Asia Pacific Center of Security Studies, Hawaii, USA.
He has held several key assignments in his career which include command of Torpedo Recovery Vessel INTRV A72, Missile Boat INS Chatak, Corvette INS Khukri, Destroyer INS Mumbai. In addition he also served as Navigating Officer of Naval Ships Sharda, Rannvijay and Jyoti and Direction Officer of Sea Harrier Squadron INAS 300 and Executive Officer of the destroyer INS Delhi. His important staff appointments include Joint Director, Staff Requirements, Director Staff at Defense Services Staff College, Wellington, Director, Naval Operations and Director, Naval Intelligence (Ops).
He has also served as Principal Director, Naval Operations and Principal Director, Strategy, Concepts and Transformation at the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defense (Navy). As a Flag Officer he has served as the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (External Affairs, Cooperation and Intelligence), Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor at the National Defense Academy, Khadakwasla, Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area, Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval Area and Naval Operations Worked as Director General.
What is Department of Military Affairs (DMA)
It is headed by the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) as the Secretary and is designed to promote synergy among the three services. It is the department in charge of military affairs within the Indian Ministry of Defence. The DMA, headed by the Chief of Defense Staff as ex-officio Secretary, provides integration between the Indian Armed Forces. It aims to promote jointness in procurement, training and staffing for the services through joint planning and integration of their requirements. It is also the responsibility of this department to reorganize military commands including setting up of Joint Theater Commands and promote the use of indigenous equipment.
