In a ceremonial parade held at the naval base recently, Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba PVSM AVSM took charge as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command from Vice Admiral S.P.S. Cheema, PVSM AVSM NM. The parade was followed by the traditional ‘Pulling Out’ Ceremony in which the outgoing Commander-in-Chief, Vice Admiral Cheema was ceremonially pulled out in a jeep by Flag Officers and Commanding Officers of Ships and Naval establishments of Kochi, amidst emotional ‘Jai’-‘Jai’ by the men of Southern Naval Command.

Earlier in the day, Vice Admiral Lanba laid wreath at the War Memorial, prior to assuming command, as a tribute to the thousands of martyrs who had fought for the country. The Flag Officer, a native of Palwal in Haryana, who was the Vice Chief of Naval Staff prior to taking over as the FOC-in-C (South), had arrived in Kochi on March 28, 2015.

Vice Admiral Cheema will now assume the charge of the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Naval Command, on March 31, 2015, on the retirement of the present incumbent, Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chopra.