Captain Rahul Pawar Takes Command of Navigation Direction School
On May 15, 2026, Captain Rahul Pawar took over the responsibilities as Officer-in-Charge of the Navigation Direction School, succeeding Captain Kunal Bharadwaj.
Before assuming this role, Captain Pawar was stationed in the Directorate of Naval Plans at the Naval Headquarters.
Commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 2003, Captain Pawar is an alumnus of the Indian Naval Academy.
His expertise in Navigation Direction has seen him serve as the Navigating Officer on INS Karmuk and INS Ranvijay, as well as the commissioning Navigating Officer of INS Kolkata.
Captain Pawar has also gained experience in operational sea training as a Staff Officer (Navigation Direction) with the Indian Naval Work Up Team (INWT).
He is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington and was honoured as the Best in Academics at the Malaysian Armed Forces Defence College.
Throughout his career, Captain Pawar has commanded both INS Karmuk and INS Gaj.
The Navigation Direction School is integral to equipping Indian Navy personnel with advanced skills in navigation, tactical manoeuvring, and operational direction crucial for contemporary maritime operations.
