Rear Admiral Ashtana appointed Asst. Chief of Naval Staff (Air)

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Rear Admiral Mukul Asthana has been appointed as the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air) at New Delhi. He was commissioned in 1986 in the Executive Branch of the Indian Navy.

A graduate of the Naval Academy, Ashthana attended the 141 Pilots Course and was awarded wings in June 1988, at the Air Force Academy. An experienced pilot, he has flown four types of aircraft and held operational and supervisory assignments in Indian Naval Air Squadrons 551, 550 and 310, the IW Squadron. He attended the Command and Staff Course at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, in 2000.

Ashthana commanded INS Rajali, a premier Naval Air Station, from August 2009 till December 2010. During this period he oversaw the drawing-up and implementation of plans for induction of the state of the art Boeing P8I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance ASW aircraft. A record number of young pilots also graduated from the Navy’s Helicopter Training School during this period.

His operational sea tenures include the commands of the Missile Corvette INS Nashak during Op Vijay. He is a recipient of the prestigious Nausena Medal (NM) and commendations by the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command. He was also conferred with the Tenzing Norgay National Award by the President of India in 2006, according to a PIB release.