Kirpal Singh (Indian Navy officer)

Rear Admiral (ret.) Kirpal Singh, AVSM (1925 - ) is a retired officer of the Indian Navy and founder of Dolphin Offshore Enterprises, one of India's first offshore technology firms. As a philanthropist, he formed the Dolphin Foundation, dedicated to providing grants and fellowships in the offshore and marine industry.

Early life and education
Kirpal Singh, the son of Partap Singh and Laj Wanti, was born on September 5, 1925 in Beawar, in the district of Ajmer, Rajasthan. His father was a junior level Police Officer in the Opium Contraband Control Department during the British Raj.. Singh grew up in very modest circumstances. In 1930, when Partap Singh retired prematurely at the age of 42, the family moved to Rawalpindi in North-West Punjab (now in Pakistan).

Singh received his early education at Khalsa High School in Rawalpindi. In 1939, he was selected for a scholarship to join the Indian Mercantile Marine Training Ship Dufferin at Bombay. Singh initially trained as a cadet for the Merchant Navy from 1940 to 1942, the first of many occasions when he was awarded an Extra First Class or First Class Certificate.

Naval career
Japan’s entry in the Second World War and its swift occupation of the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands abruptly changed Singh's career path. He firmly resolved to seek a role in the Royal Indian Navy.

Service in World War II
Singh served as a midshipman during World War II on board the battleship, HMS Anson from January 1944 to June 1944, escorting Allied convoys from the Atlantic across the Arctic Ocean to Murmansk, Russia. Thereafter he was transferred to HMS King George V (41) on board which he participated in military operations in the Mediterranean and the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). Later, as part of British Pacific Fleet, his ship survived the constant threat of the Japanese Kamikaze pilots in Okinawa. During his tenure on these battleships, Singh came into contact with his mentor, Admiral Bruce Fraser, 1st Baron Fraser of North Cape. He also benefited from programs for overseas officers organized by the Victoria League.

Completion of initial training
From September 1945 to March 1946, Singh attended technical courses as a Sub Lieutenant with the Royal Navy. A year later, he was sent to the U.K. to specialize in Gunnery at the Royal Navy’s Gunnery School at HMS Excellent.

India's independence
In 1949, Singh served as Aide de Camp to India's first Governor General, Mr C. Rajagopalachari at Rashtrapati Bhawan, the President's official address. During this formative time of India’s Independence, he came in close contact with the several of the nation's leaders like Vallabhai Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru.

The Indian Navy
Kirpal Singh held many positions during his naval career. He commanded various ships and establishments, including the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and the Western Fleet.

A comprehensive listing of his various appointments is given below.

Offshore Energy
Singh's post-naval career began with the establishment of a small ship repair firm with three other partners. He also represented Balfour Beatty Engineering Ltd in India. In early 1978, he met a senior General Manager in the state owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), which had discovered oil and gas at Bombay High. At the ONGC executive's suggestion, that India urgently needed to develop its underwater technology capabilities, Singh attended the Offshore Technology Conference (Houston) in May 1978. There he persuaded the business leadership of Taylor Diving and Salvage Co., a subsidiary of Brown and Root and the Halliburton group, to jointly bid for work on ONGC contracts. In May 17, 1979, Singh, along with Shavax Lal, with whom he had become acquainted during his tenure as C. Rajagopalachari's aide-de-camp, launched Dolphin Offshore Enterprises with the objective of providing supply vessels, diving and marine engineering services to India’s nascent offshore oil and gas industry. In 1994, Dolphin Offshore Enterprises made its initial public offering. The company is listed on the Bombay and National Stock Exchanges. Singh currently serves as Chairman of Dolphin Offshore Enterprises.

Philanthropy
Singh provided a grant for the launch of the Maritime Museum in Kochi. Through the Dolphin Foundation, he provides grants for individuals in the offshore and maritime industry in India. In 2006, he launched a scholarship program for the children of sailors in the Indian Navy. He and his wife Manjit Kirpal Singh are Trustees and Advisory Board Members of the Anad Foundation, dedicated to advancing the values of humanism through spiritual music. He is now dedicating his time to launching a technical institute to train young Indians for the offshore energy and maritime industry.

Personal life
Kirpal Singh married Manjit Kaur Dugal in New Delhi on September 20, 1953. She is the daughter of Uttam Singh Dugal and Balwant Kaur. The Singhs have five children: Prabha Chandran, Kamal Malhi, Satpal Singh, Sunita Singh Maclaren and Navpreet Singh.

Kirpal and Manjit collaborate closely. Manjit is still an active supporter of the Naval Wives Welfare Association and the Development Initiative For Self-reliance and Human Advancement (DISHA). She was the first Director of Finance for Dolphin Offshore. She recently resigned as a Director of the company, after serving on the Board for 32 years

Dates of Rank

 * 1946-47. Service in Minesweepers, sweeping mines laid by the Japanese in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
 * 1948. H.M.I.S. Delhi as 2nd Gunnery Officer, on taking over the ship from the Royal Navy HMS-Achilles-from Royal Navy
 * 1949. Served as A.D.C. to C. Rajagopalachari, the first Indian Governor General of India.
 * 1950. Navigation Officer of Frigate, I.N.S. Kistna.
 * 1950-51. First Lieutenant (second in command) of Destroyer, I.N.S. Rana.
 * 1951-52. Squadron Gunnery Officer, 11th Destroyer Squadron.
 * 1952. Promoted Ag. Lt. Cdr. And served as Training Officer, Midshipmen’s Training Ship, I.N.S. Tir.
 * 1953-54. Officer in charge Basic and Divisional School, training newly recruited Direct Entry officers and sailors at Indian Naval Base, Cochin.
 * 1954-56. Officer in charge, Gunnery School. Was assigned the task of installing latest weapon systems for new ships being acquired by the Indian Navy.
 * 1956-57. Fleet Gunnery Officer, Indian Fleet, under Rear Admirals St. John Tyrwhitt, Royal Navy, followed by Rear Admiral R.D. Katari, i.N.
 * 1957-58. Commanded Destroyer, I.N.S. Ganga.  Participated in the Joint Exercises Trincomallee along with the ships of the Royal Navy, Australian Navy and the Pakistan Navy.
 * 30 June 1958 Promoted to Lt. Commander to Commander, superseding several officers in recognition of his exemplary record and achievements.
 * 1958-59. Commanded Cadets Training Ship, I.N.S. Tir.
 * 1959-60. Attended Indian Defence Services Staff College at Wellington, Nilgiris.
 * 1961-63. Battalion Commander and Senior Instructor (Navy) at the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, Pune, India.
 * 1963-64. Attended the Joint Services Staff College at Latimer in U.K.
 * 1964-65. Deputy Naval Adviser, Indian High Commission, London.During this time played active part in processing construction leander Class frigates in India with British Co-operation.This Laid the foundation for Indigenous war ship and submarine construction in India. This, later laid the foundation.
 * 1965. Promoted to acting Captain and appointed Captain (F) 16th Frigate Squadron and commanding Officer I.N.S. Brahmaputra. Took part in 1965 war with Pakistan.
 * 1966. While continuing as Captain F (16), took over command of I.N.S. Beas (sister ship of I.N.S. Brahmaputra when latter went in for a refit).
 * 1967-69. Served as Director Personnel Services, Officiating Chief of Personnel 9for six months) and Director of Personnel.Awarded the Ati Vishist Seva Medal for work carried out in Human Resource Development for the Navy, during this appointment. Attended senior Defence Management Seminar at the University of Pittsburg in U.S.A. during this tenure.
 * 1969-70. Commanded the Aircraft Carrier I.N.S. Vikrant. During his Command the ship won coveted the fleet regretta trophy.
 * 1971. Attended the prestigious Royal College of Defense Studies course in London. During the course, Visited Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Philippines.
 * 1972. Commodore in charge Naval Barracks and Commanding Officer I.N.S. Angre.
 * 1973. Promoted Rear Admiral and appointed Flag Officer Commanding, Western Fleet, thereby becoming the youngest Flag Officer in the Indian Navy at that time, at the age of 48.
 * 1974-77 Director General Naval Dockyard Expansion Scheme at Bombay. Worked directly under the Ministry of Defence to supervise the expansion of repair and test facilities of Indian Naval Ships in this assignment.
 * 31 March 1977. Retired from the Indian Navy.