Surinder Pal Singh Cheema

Vice Admiral Surinder Pal Singh Cheema PVSM, AVSM, NM is a former Flag Officer in the Indian Navy. He last served as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western and Southern Naval Commands.[1] He also served as the Commander-in-Chief of Strategic Forces Command and the Chief Of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.[1] He retired from the service on 31 January 2016, after four decades of service.[2]


S P S Cheema

Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Navy
Years of serviceJanuary 1977 – January 2016
Rank Vice Admiral
Commands held
Awards

Early life and education

Cheema attended the Sainik School, Kunjpura. He then graduated from the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 January 1977.

Military career

Vice Admiral SPS Cheema (right) with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar (center) and CNS RK Dhowan during commissioning of INS Vajrakosh

Cheema is a missile and gunnery specialist. He was the Commissioning Commanding Officer of the Missile boat INS Nishank and commanded the Khukri class missile corvette INS Khanjar and the Talwar class stealth frigate INS Trishul. He served as the 14th Commanding Officer of the Centaur class aircraft carrier INS Viraat. He also headed the naval base INS Mandovi.[3]

He attended the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington where he was awarded the Lentaigne and Scudder Medals (for best dissertation and being "first in overall order of merit"). He also attended the College of Naval Warfare (CNW), Mumbai.[3]

Flag Rank

As a Rear Admiral, Cheema commanded the Western Fleet from 2008 to 2009. In his staff appointments, he served as the Controller Personnel Services at the Integrated Headquarters. He served as the Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (DCIDS) for Perspective Planning and Force Development (PP&FD) and for DOT in two different assignments. Apart from these, he served as the Chief of the Staff of Western Naval Command.

After promotion to the rank of Vice Admiral, he served in four different appointments as a Commander-in-Chief since being promoted to C-in-C grade on 31 August 2012. He served as the FOC-in-C of Southern Naval Command from 2014 to 2015; Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Forces Command; Chief Of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee; and as lastly as the FOC-in-C of Western Naval Command. He also served as the Commandant of Indian Naval Academy. He retired on 31 January 2016, after four decades of service; Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba succeeded him as FOC-in-C of Western Naval Command.[4][2]

Awards and Decorations

Param Vishisht Seva Medal
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Nausena Medal
Special Service Medal
Operation Parakram Medal
Videsh Seva Medal
50th Anniversary of Independence Medal
30 Years Long Service Medal
20 Years Long Service Medal
9 Years Long Service Medal

References

  1. "Vice Admiral SPS Cheema takes over as FOC-in-C(West), Western Naval Command". Indian Navy. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  2. "Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba Takes Over Western Naval Command". PIB. Govt. of India. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  3. "Vice Admiral Cheema takes over as chief of Southern Naval Command". The Hindu. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  4. "Vice Admiral SPS Cheema takes over as FOC-in-c (South)". Indian Navy. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
Military offices
Preceded by
Anil Chopra
Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command
2015-2016
Succeeded by
Sunil Lanba
Preceded by
Satish Soni
Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Southern Naval Command
2014-2015
Succeeded by
Sunil Lanba
Preceded by
Air Marshal K J Mathews
Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Forces Command
1 November 2012 - June 2014
Succeeded by
Lt Gen Amit Sharma
Preceded by
Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha
Chief Of Integrated Defence Staff
31 August 2012 – 1 November 2012
Succeeded by
Lt Gen Naresh Chandra Marwah
Preceded by
Anil Chopra
Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet
27 November 2008 - 31 August 2009
Succeeded by
Rama Kant Pattanaik
Preceded by
Pradeep Chauhan
Commanding Officer INS Viraat
31 May 2005 - 15 May 2006
Succeeded by
Girish Luthra
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