Flag Rank and Director General Indian Coast Guard of Dr VA Kamath
Commodore-in-Charge Cochin (COCHIN). In August 1970, the appointment was upgraded and re-designated Flag Officer Commanding Southern Naval Area (FOCSOUTH) and Kamath took over as the first FOCSOUTH. In December 1970, he took the salute at the passing out parade of the first batch of cadets at the Naval Academy in Cochin. He served in this appointment of FOC South during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
After returning to India, in January 1968, he was appointed Chief of Materiel at Naval HQ in the acting rank of Rear Admiral. After a year-long stint, he was appointed the next Commander of the Western Fleet.
In January 1969, he took over as the second Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet (FOCWF) from Rear Admiral Surendra Nath Kohli. As the FOCWF, Kamath flew his flag on his old ship the Vikrant. In February, he led the INS Mysore (C60), INS Godavari (D92) and the INS Gomati (D93) on a goodwill tour to Sri Lanka.
He was at the helm of the Western Fleet for about eighteen months. Until 1970, the Southern Naval Area with its headquarters in Cochin was commanded by an officer of the rank of Commodore designated Commodore-in-Charge Cochin (COCHIN).
In August 1970, the appointment was upgraded and re-designated Flag Officer Commanding Southern Naval Area (FOCSOUTH) and Kamath took over as the first FOCSOUTH.
In December 1970, he took the salute at the passing out parade of the first batch of cadets at the Naval Academy in Cochin. He served in this appointment of FOC South during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
On 26 January 1972, he was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal. On 21 March 1973, he was promoted to the acting rank of Vice-Admiral and was appointed the fourth Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS), with promotion to substantive vice-admiral on 26 March 1973.
He succeeded Vice Admiral Jal Cursetji and had a long tenure of four years as VCNS. This remains the longest tenure that a VCNS has served. He retired on 31 March 1977, handing over to Vice Admiral Ronald Lynsdale Pereira.
Director General Indian Coast Guard
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) came into being on 19 August 1978. The new service was to function under the overall command and control of a Director General (DGICG). Kamath was selected as the founding Director-General of the Indian Coast Guard. Kamath proposed a five-year plan to develop the ICG into a potent force by 1984.
After a two-year stint, he retired after handing over the command of the Coast Guard to Vice Admiral Swaraj Parkash in 1980.
Personal life of VA kamath :- Kamath married Lalitha Kamath (née) in 1945. The couple had one son and two daughters. Kamath died on 15 January 2017.
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