View source for Director General of the Indian Coast Guard

{{Short description|Head of the Indian Coast Guard}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox official post
| post                     = Director General
| body                     = the<br />[[Indian Coast Guard]]
| native_name              = 
| insignia                 = 
| insigniasize             = 
| insigniacaption          = 
| flag                     = Indian Coast Guard flag.svg
| flagsize                 = 
| flagborder               = 
| flagcaption              = Flag of Indian Coast Guard
| image                    = Director General VS Pathania.jpg
| imagesize                = 150px
| alt                      = 
| incumbent                = [[Virender Singh Pathania]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=V S Pathania Takes Charge As Indian Coast Guard Chief|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/vs-pathania-takes-charge-as-indian-coast-guard-chief-2682158|access-date=2021-12-31|website=NDTV.com}}</ref> PTM, TM
| acting                   = 
| incumbentsince           = 31 December 2021
| department               = {{coast guard|India}}
| style                    = 
| type                     = 
| status                   =
| abbreviation             = DG ICG
| member_of                = 
| reports_to               = [[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of Defence]]
| residence                = 
| seat                     = Coast Guard Headquarters, [[New Delhi]]
| nominator                = 
| appointer                = [[Appointments Committee of the Cabinet]] (ACC)
| appointer_qualified      = 
| termlength               = 
| termlength_qualified     = 
| constituting_instrument  = 
| precursor                = 
| formation                = 19 August 1978
| first                    = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]] [[V. A. Kamath]], [[PVSM]]
| last                     = 
| abolished                = 
| succession               = 
| unofficial_names         = 
| deputy                   = Additional Director General of the Indian Coast Guard (ADG ICG)
| salary                   = 
| website                  = {{url|http://www.indiancoastguard.gov.in/content/291_3_DGICG.aspx|DG ICG}}
}}

The '''Director General of the Indian Coast Guard''' (DG ICG) is the head of the [[Indian Coast Guard]]. The DG ICG has their office in the Coast Guard Headquarters (CGHQ) in [[New Delhi]]. Appointed by the [[Government of India]], the DG ICG reports to the [[Minister of Defence (India)|Minister of Defence]]. The Director General is assisted by four Deputy Directors General, each holding the rank of [[Inspector general#India|inspector-general]], and other senior officers heading various staff divisions. The Additional Director General of the ICG serves as the second-in-command to the Director General.

The post of Director General of the Indian Coast Guard is held by a [[three-star rank]] holder as a position and is not a rank in itself. It is equivalent to [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]] of the [[Indian Navy]], [[Lieutenant General (India)|Lieutenant General]] of the [[Indian Army]] and the [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] of the [[Indian Air Force]].<ref name="CG Organisation:Indian Coast Guard">{{cite web|title=CG Organisation: Indian Coast Guard|url=http://www.indiancoastguard.gov.in/content/289_3_CGOrganisation.aspx|website=Indian Coast Guard|publisher=Government of India|access-date=28 June 2022}}</ref>{{efn|FOC-in-C: [[Flag officer|Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief]], GOC-in-C: [[General officer|General Officer Commanding-in-Chief]], AOC-in-C: [[Air officer commanding|Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief]].}} The rank of Additional Director General of the Indian Coast Guard is equivalent to that of a Lieutenant General of the Indian Army.<ref name="Indian Coast Guard Explained in Detail">{{cite web|title=Indian Coast Guard Explained in Detail|url=http://navaljourney.com/indian-coast-guard-explained-in-detail/|website=Naval Journey|access-date=26 July 2022}}</ref><ref name="Indian Coast Guard gets new director-general: All about it">{{cite web|title=Indian Coast Guard gets new director-general: All about it|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/story/indian-coast-guard-gets-new-dg/1/606811.html|website=India Today|date=27 February 2016|access-date=18 November 2022}}</ref>{{efn|In the [[Indian Armed Forces]], three-star ranks fall into three categories, namely: HAG Scale, HAG+ Scale, and Commanders (GOC-in-C /FOC-in-C /AOC-in-C) Scale. HAG Scale stands at the bottom, whereas the Commanders Scale is the highest.<ref name="Indian Coast Guard Explained in Detail" />}}

[[Virender Singh Pathania]], is the current Director General of the [[Indian Coast Guard]] who assumed the office after [[Krishnaswamy Natarajan]] retired. The Flag officer is the third direct entry Coast Guard officer who took over the helm of the ICG on 31 December 2021 as the 24th Director General.

==History==
The [[Indian Coast Guard]] came into being on 19 August 1978. The new service was to function under the overall command and control of a Director general.<ref>{{cite web |title=COAST GUARD TO BE FORMED IN AUGUST |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1978-APR-AUG-MIN-OF-DEFENCE-PART-2/PDF/DEF-1978-06-29_121.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=29 June 1978}}</ref> [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]] [[V. A. Kamath]], deputed from the Indian Navy, served as the first DG ICG. Appointed on 19 August 1978, he served in the capacity until 31 March 1980.<ref>{{cite web |title=VICE ADMIRAL SWARAJ PARKASH TAKES OVER AS DIRECTOR GENERAL COAST GUARD |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1980-JAN-JUNE-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1980-03-31_124.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=31 March 1980}}</ref> Until 2016, appointees to the DG position were Officers of the [[Indian Navy]] deputed to the Coast Guard.

Three direct entry Coast Guard officers have gone on to head the service. While two previous Directors General have come from the Coast Guard stream –Rameshwar Singh and P. Paleri – they have all initially been commissioned into the [[Indian Navy]] before later being permanently deputed to the Coast Guard service.<ref name="Rajendra Singh first non-navy officer to head Coast Guard">{{cite news|title=Rajendra Singh first non-navy officer to head Coast Guard|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/india/rajendra-singh-first-non-navy-officer-to-head-coast-guard_1859081.html|access-date=11 July 2016|work=Zee News|date=24 February 2022}}</ref>

==Additional responsibilities==
Apart from heading the Coast Guard, the DGICG is also:{{sfn|Singh|2018|p=285}}
* Chairman, National Maritime Search and Rescue Board (NMSARB)
* Chairman, National Oil-spill Disaster Contingency Plan Committee (NOSDCP)
* Chairman, Offshore Security Co-ordination Committee (OSCC), of which the [[Flag Officer Defence Advisory Group]] is a member.
* Indian Governor to Regional Co-operation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against ships in Asia (ReCAAP)

==Insignia==
The badges of rank have a crossed sword and baton over three eight-pointed stars and the [[State Emblem of India|Ashoka emblem]] above, on a golden shoulder board. The Director General wears [[gorget patches]] which are navy blue patches with three golden stars and oak leaves under the three golden stars. In addition to this, the double-breasted [[reefer jacket]] has three golden sleeve stripes consisting of a broad band with two narrower bands.

==List of Directors General==
{{Officeholder table start
| showorder          = y
| showimage          = y
| image_title        = Portrait
| officeholder_title = Name
| showtermlenght     = y
| showparty          = n
| showdefencebranch  = n
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 1
| image             = VAdm V A Kamath.jpg
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[V. A. Kamath]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM}}
| officeholder_sort   = Kamath, V. A.
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 1921
| died_year         = 2017
| term_start        = 19 August 1978
| term_end          = 31 March 1980
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|1978|08|19|1980|03|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 2
| image             = VAdm Swaraj Parkash.jpg
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[Swaraj Parkash]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|MVC|AVSM}}
| officeholder_sort   = Parkash, Swaraj
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 1923
| died_year         = 2004
| term_start        = 1 April 1980
| term_end          = 31 March 1982
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|1980|04|01|1982|03|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 3
| image             = VAdm M R Schunker.jpg
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[M. R. Schunker]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM}}
| officeholder_sort   = Schunker, M. R.
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 1924
| died_year         = 2021
| term_start        = 1 April 1982
| term_end          = 31 March 1984
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1982|04|01|1984|03|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 4
| image             = 
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[S. Jain]]
| officeholder_sort   = Jain, S.
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 19 June 1984
| term_end          = 14 February 1985
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|1984|06|19|1985|02|14}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 5
| image             = 
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[I. J. S. Khurana]] 
| officeholder_sort   = Khurana, I. J. S.
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 15 February 1985
| term_end          = 30 June 1987
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|1985|02|15|1987|06|30}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 6
| image             = 
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[H. Johnson (vice admiral)|H. Johnson]]
| officeholder_sort   = Johnson, H.
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 10 July 1987
| term_end          = 27 June 1990
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|1987|07|10|1990|06|27}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 7
| image             = 
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[S. W. Lakhar]]
| officeholder_sort   = Lakhar, S. W.
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 28 June 1990
| term_end          = 31 August 1992
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|1990|06|28|1992|08|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 8
| image             = 
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[K. K. Kohli]] 
| officeholder_sort   = Kohli, K. K.
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 5 October 1992
| term_end          = 3 January 1995
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|1992|10|05|1995|01|03}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 9
| image             = 
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[P. J. Jacob]] 
| officeholder_sort   = Jacob, P. J.
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 4 January 1995
| term_end          = 17 November 1996
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|1995|01|04|1996|11|17}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 10
| image             = 
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[R. N. Ganesh]]
| officeholder_sort   = Ganesh, R. N.
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 18 November 1996
| term_end          = 4 March 1999
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|1996|11|18|1999|03|4}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 11
| image             = VAdm JC De Silva.jpg
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[John Colin De Silva]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM}}
| officeholder_sort   = Silva, John Colin De
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 1943
| died_year         = 2019
| term_start        = 5 March 1999
| term_end          = 6 March 2001
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|1999|03|05|2001|03|6}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 12
| image             = 
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[Rameshwar Singh (vice admiral)|Rameshwar Singh]]
| officeholder_sort   = Singh, Rameshwar
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 7 March 2001
| term_end          = 29 September 2001
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|2001|03|07|2001|09|29}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 13
| image             = 
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[O. P. Bansal]]
| officeholder_sort   = Bansal, O. P.
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 30 September 2001
| term_end          = 12 January 2003
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|2001|09|30|2003|01|12}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 14
| image             = Sureesh Mehta CNS.jpg
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[Sureesh Mehta]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM}}
| officeholder_sort   = Pizey, Charles
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 1947
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 13 January 2003
| term_end          = 19 August 2004
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|2003|01|13|2004|08|19}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 15
| image             = 
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[A. K. Singh (vice admiral)|A. K. Singh]]
| officeholder_sort   = Singh, A. K.
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 20 August 2004
| term_end          = 24 February 2006
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|2004|08|20|2006|02|24}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 16
| image             = 
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[Prabhakaran Paleri]]
| officeholder_sort   = Paleri, Prabhakaran
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 28 February 2006
| term_end          = 31 August 2006
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|2006|02|28|2006|08|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 17
| image             = 
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[R. F. Contractor]]
| officeholder_sort   = Pizey, Charles
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 31 August 2006
| term_end          = 30 November 2008
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|2006|08|31|2008|11|30}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 18
| image             = Vice Admiral Anil Chopra.jpg
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[Anil Chopra (admiral)|Anil Chopra]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM}}
| officeholder_sort   = Chopra, Anil
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 1 December 2008
| term_end          = 29 October 2011
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|2008|12|01|2011|10|29}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 19
| image             = 
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[M. P. Muralidharan]]
| officeholder_sort   = Muralidharan, M. P.
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 1 November 2011
| term_end          = 28 February 2013
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|2011|11|01|2013|02|28}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 20
| image             =
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[Anurag Thapliyal]] 
| officeholder_sort   = Thapliyal, Anurag
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 1 March 2013
| term_end          = 31 January 2015
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|2013|03|01|2015|01|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 21
| image             = Vice Admiral Harish Chandra Singh Bisht.jpg
| military_rank     = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| officeholder        = [[Harish Bisht]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM}}
| officeholder_sort   = Bisht, Harish
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 1957
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 1 February 2015
| term_end          = 28 February 2016
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|2015|02|01|2015|02|28}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 22
| image             = 
| military_rank     =
| officeholder        = [[Rajendra Singh (coast guard)|Rajendra Singh]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PTM|TM}}
| officeholder_sort   = Singh, Rajendra
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 1959
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 1 March 2016
| term_end          = 30 June 2019
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|2016|03|01|2019|06|30}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 23
| image             = DGICG K Natarajan.jpg
| military_rank     =
| officeholder        = [[Krishnaswamy Natarajan]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PVSM|PTM|TM}}
| officeholder_sort   = Natarajan, Krishnaswamy
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 1961
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 1 July 2019
| term_end          = 31 December 2021
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|2019|07|01|2021|12|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order             = 24
| image             = Director General VS Pathania.jpg
| military_rank     = 
| officeholder        = [[Virender Singh Pathania]] {{post-nominals|country=IND|size=75%|sep=,|PTM|TM}}
| officeholder_sort   = Pathania, Virender Singh
| officeholder_note   = 
| born_year         = 
| died_year         = 
| term_start        = 31 December 2021
| timeinoffice        = {{ayd|2021|12|31}}
}}
{{Officeholder table end}}

==Notes==
'''Footnotes'''
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite web|title=Director General: Indian Coast Guard|url=http://www.indiancoastguard.gov.in/content/1545_1_DIRECTORSGENERAL.aspx|website=Indian Coast Guard|publisher=Government of India|access-date=28 June 2022}}
* {{citation|last1=Hiranandani|first1=Gulab Mohanlal|year=2010|author-link=Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani|title=Transition to Guardianship: The Indian Navy 1991–2000|publisher=Lancer Publishers LLC|isbn=978-1-935501-66-4}}
* {{citation|last1=Reddy|first1=Krishna|year=2007|title=Tmh General Knowledge Manual|publisher=Tata McGraw-Hill Education|isbn=978-0-07-061999-9}}
* {{citation|first1=Anup|last1=Singh|title=Blue Waters Ahoy!, The Indian Navy 2001-2010 |year=2018|isbn= 9789353025526|publisher=HarperCollins Publishers India}}

==External links==
* [http://www.indiancoastguard.gov.in/ Official website of Indian Coast Guard]
* [http://www.indiancoastguard.gov.in/content/289_3_CGOrganisation.aspx Organisational structure of Indian Coast Guard]

[[Category:Indian Coast Guard]]
[[Category:Indian Navy]]
[[Category:Indian military appointments]]