Controller of Personnel Services
Controller
PostController
BodyPersonnel Services
IncumbentVice Admiral C. R. Praveen Nair AVSM NM
Incumbentsince31 July 2025
AbbreviationCPS
Reports toChief of Personnel
SeatNaval Headquarters, New Delhi

The Controller of Personnel Services (CPS) is a senior appointment in the Indian Navy. A Controller at Naval Headquarters (NHQ) in the rank of Vice-Admiral, the CPS is responsible for service conditions, welfare, pay, pension, as well as matters pertaining to recruitment, training and discipline. The current CPS is Vice Admiral C. R. Praveen Nair who took over in July 2025.

History

The billet of CPS was created in March 2000 to devolve some of the Chief of Personnel's responsibilities. A significant portion of the COP’s duties involved oversight of projects, schools, messes, shore establishments, discipline, and ceremonial functions. The delegation of these duties to the CPS enabled the COP to devote greater attention to matters relating to human resource development and career planning.[1]

Organisation

The CPS is a Controller in the Personnel Branch at the Naval Headquarters. The following directorates report into the CPS.[2]

  • Directorate of Personnel Services
  • Directorate of Naval Education
  • Directorate of Ex-Servicemen Affairs
  • Directorate of Non Public Fund
  • Directorate of Adventure Physical Fitness & Sports Activities

The CPS is also the administrative authority of INS India.

Appointees

NameAssumed officeLeft officeNotes
Vice Admiral Sureesh MehtaApril 2000April 2002Later Chief of the Naval Staff.[3]
Vice Admiral Arun Kumar SinghOctober 2003August 2004Later Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command.[4]
Vice Admiral S. K. K. KrishnanAugust 2004December 2005[5]
Vice Admiral R. P. SuthanJanuary 2006July 2006Later Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command.[6]
Vice Admiral S. K. DamleJuly 2006March 2007Later Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command.[7]
Vice Admiral D. K. DewanMarch 2007July 2007[8]
Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha AVSM NM &barJanuary 2008June 2011Later Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command.[9][10]
Vice Admiral SPS CheemaJuly 2011Later Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command.[11][12]
Vice Admiral Rama Kant PattanaikJanuary 2012Later Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff.
Vice Admiral HCS BishtSeptember 2011January 2015Later Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command.[13][14]
Vice Admiral Atul Kumar JainApril 2015September 2016Later Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command.[15]
Vice Admiral R. Hari KumarSeptember 2016July 2018Later Chief of the Naval Staff.[16][17]
Vice Admiral Biswajit DasguptaAugust 2018June 2020Later Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command.[18][19]
Vice Admiral Satish GhormadeMarch 2021Later Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.[20]
Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit SinghMarch 2021August 2021Later Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command.[21]
Vice Admiral Suraj BerryAugust 2021March 2023Later Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Forces Command.[22]
Vice Admiral Krishna SwaminathanApril 2023October 2023Current Chief of the Naval Staff.[23]
Vice Admiral Gurcharan SinghJanuary 2024May 2024Current Chief of Personnel.[24]
Vice Admiral Vineet McCartySeptember 2024July 2025Current Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command.[25]
Vice Admiral C. R. Praveen NairJuly 2025PresentCurrent CPS.[26]

References

  1. ^ Hiranandani 2009.
  2. ^ "Personnel Branch | Indian Navy". indiannavy.nic.in
  3. ^ "Vice Admiral Sureesh Mehta, takes over as Foc-In-C East". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  4. ^ "Vice Admiral Arun Kumar Singh is the new DG Coast Guard". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  5. ^ "IMF-NMF joint webinar". maritimeindia.org. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  6. ^ "Vice Adm Suthan takes over as DCNS". Hindustan Times. 24 July 2006. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  7. ^ "Vice Adm Suthan takes over as DCNS". Hindustan Times. 24 July 2006. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  8. ^ "New Flag appointment in the Navy". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  9. ^ "Indian Navy North Pole Team Creates Record". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  10. ^ "Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha PVSM AVSM NM& BAR, ADC Appointed as Commander in Chief Western Naval Command to Take Over from Vice Admiral DK Joshi". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  11. ^ "Second Innings". dnv.indiannavy.gov.in. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  12. ^ "New Flag Officer C-in-C Southern Naval Command appointed". spsmai.com. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  13. ^ "Vice-Admiral Bisht to be new Coast Guard DG". The Times of India. 10 January 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  14. ^ "Vice Admiral HCS Bisht takes over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  15. ^ "Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain takes over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, ENC". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  16. ^ "Expedition for Circumnavigation of the Globe". spsnavalforces.com. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  17. ^ "Appointments". spsnavalforces.com. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  18. ^ "Spokesperson Navy". x.com. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  19. ^ "Spokesperson Navy". x.com. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  20. ^ "HQ IDS". x.com. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  21. ^ "HQ IDS". x.com. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  22. ^ "VICE ADMIRAL SURAJ BERRY ASSUMES CHARGE AS CHIEF OF PERSONNEL OF INDIAN NAVY". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  23. ^ "Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan AVSM VSM assumes charge as Chief of Personnel Indian Navy". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  24. ^ "VICE ADMIRAL GURCHARAN SINGH, NM ASSUMES CHARGE AS CONTROLLER PERSONNEL SERVICES". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  25. ^ "VICE ADMIRAL VINEET MCCARTY, AVSM ASSUMES CHARGE AS CONTROLLER PERSONNEL SERVICES". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  26. ^ "VICE ADMIRAL CR PRAVEEN NAIR, AVSM, NM, ASSUMES CHARGE AS CONTROLLER PERSONNEL SERVICES". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 20 May 2026.

Bibliography

  • Hiranandani, G.M. (2009), Transition to Guardianship: History of the Indian Navy, 1991-2000, Lancer, ISBN 978-1935501268