Bengaluru: As Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan prepares to take over as the country’s next Navy chief on May 31, Bengaluru can lay claim to a quiet connection to the top naval officer.Swaminathan, who was appointed the next Chief of the Naval Staff on Saturday, is a Bengaluru-born officer who grew up in Basavanagudi’s NR Colony in a family of teachers. His early schooling was at Bishop Cotton Boys’ School, one of the city’s oldest institutions, before he moved to Sainik School, Vijayapura, setting him on the path to a military career. The school continues to count him among its distinguished alumni, and had hosted him last year in his capacity as Vice Chief of Naval Staff.“During his visit, Vice Admiral Swaminathan presented the institution with a model of INS Vikrant, India’s first aircraft carrier along with beautifully framed photographs of the same. This gesture symbolised the strong ties between the school and its esteemed alumni, as well as the enduring legacy of Cottonians who continue to make significant contributions to the nation,” the school’s website reads.Commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1987, Swaminathan specialised in Communication and Electronic Warfare and went on to command several frontline naval platforms, including aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya and guided missile destroyer INS Mysore.Before being named Navy chief, he served in several senior appointments, including Vice Chief of Naval Staff and Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command.A recipient of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal, Swaminathan also holds academic degrees from institutions in India and abroad, including Jawaharlal Nehru University, Cochin University of Science and Technology, King’s College London and Mumbai University.
