Surinder Pal Singh Cheema

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Vice Admiral SPS Cheema PVSM AVSM is the current Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Naval Command of the Indian Navy, having assumed office on 31 March 2015. He has previously served as the Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy

Personal life and Education
He is a graduate of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasala, The Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington and the College of Naval Warfare (CNW), Mumbai.He is a keen sportsman and plays Squash and Golf.

Military career
The Admiral was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 01 Jan 1977. He is a graduate of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasala, The Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington and the College of Naval Warfare (CNW), Mumbai. A specialist in Missile and Gunnery, he spent majority of his time on afloat and operational appointments. He has had the distinction of being the Commanding Officer of five frontline ships, namely, the missile boat INS Nishank, Mauritian Coast Guard OPV Vigilant, the missile corvette INS Khanjar, the stealth frigate INS Trishul and the prestigious Aircraft carrier INS Viraat.

He has the unique distinction of winning both the Lentaigne (Best Dissertation) and Scudder Medals (First in overall order of merit) while undergoing course at DSSC.

On promotion to the Flag rank in May 2006, he was appointed ACNS, Information Warfare and Operations (IW & Ops) at IHQ, MoD (Navy). His other flag appointments include the Chief of Staff, Western Naval Command, Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet, Controller Personnel Services, IHQ MoD (Navy), DCIDS Perspective Planning and Force Development (PP&FD) and DCIDS (DOT). His appointment as the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Naval Command is a unique distinction being his fourth Command as a Commander-in-Chief since being promoted to C-in-C grade on 31 Aug 12. Prior to this he has been the FOC-in-C (South), Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Forces Command - a Tri-Services Command responsible for all nuclear forces of the country, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee. He had also been the Commandant of the Naval Academy and Commanding Officer INS Mandovi.