Krishnaswamy Natarajan to be the new director general of Indian Coast Guard

Krishnaswamy Natarajan has been appointed as the next director general of Indian Coast Guard and would be replacing incumbent Rajendra Singh who is retiring after three and a half years of illustrious command.

Natarajan joined the Coast Guard on January 18, 1984, and holds a Masters Degree in Defence and Strategic Studies from Madras University.

Additional Director General K Natarajan has held various important command and staff appointments, both afloat and ashore. The flag officer has commanded all classes of Indian Coast Guard ships viz Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV) Sangram, Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Veera, Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) Kanaklata Barua and Inshore Patrol Vessel (IPV) Chandbibi.

The flag officer’s important ashore command appointments include the Commander Coast Guard District No.5 (Tamil Nadu) and the Commanding Officer ICGS Mandapam. The flag officer’s key staff assignments at the Coast Guard Headquarters, New Delhi, include Principal Director (Policy & Plans), Chairman Coast Guard Service Selection Board, Principal Director (Projects), Joint Director (Operations), Coast Guard Advisor (CGA) to Director General Indian Coast Guard.

Krishnaswamy Natarajan has held the appointments of chief staff officer (personnel & administration) at Headquarters Region (East), Chennai, and chief of staff at Headquarters Region (West), Mumbai. The Officer has also held the appointment of officer-in-charge, Coast Guard Training Centre, Kochi.

On elevation to the Flag rank in August 2009, he spearheaded the Staff Division of Policy & Plans at the Coast Guard Headquarters as the Deputy Director General (Policy & Plans) till April 2014. The additional director general was instrumental in giving a boost to the overall growth of the Coast Guard, post 26/11, in terms of assets and infrastructure development including a dedicated academy.

He was the Commander of the Coast Guard Region (Andaman & Nicobar) from May 14 – July 15 and on July 27, 2015, took over the helm of the Western Region. The flag officer was elevated to the rank of Additional Director General on August 12, 2016 and is currently holding the charge of the Coast Guard Commander (Western Seaboard). Krishnaswamy Natarajan is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. He has specialised in Search and Rescue as well as Maritime Safety and Port Operations, at the US Coast Guard Reserve Training Centre, Yorktown, Virginia.

Additional Director General K Natarajan is a recipient of President Tatrakshak Medal (Distinguished Service) in 2011 and Tatrakshak Medal (Meritorious) in 1996.