Devendra Kumar Joshi

Devendra Kumar Joshi was born to Hira Ballabh Joshi, an Indian Forest Service Officer and Hansa Joshi on 4 July 1954 in Almora, Uttarakhand.{{Cite web |last=Roy |first=Sanjib Kumar |date=8 October 2017 |title=Lt. Governor of Andaman Islands to be sworn in today |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2017/Oct/08/lt-governor-of-andaman-islands-to-be-sworn-in-today-1668532.html |access-date=28 February 2025 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}} After completing his early education in various schools wherever his father was posted, he moved to Hansraj College of the University of Delhi. While studying in Delhi, he was selected into the Executive Branch of the Indian Navy in January 1972 and was subsequently commissioned in 1974.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

In an interview with Doordarshan, when asked why he had chosen to join the Navy, he replied, "I think it was the lure of the seas, the pull of the unknown...we belong to the hills. Of the land, the hilly terrains, one had seen enough!" As he also said in the same interview, "from both my father's side and my mother's side, for seven generations nobody had been in the Services. Therefore, they [my parents] had not even thought of the Armed Forces as a career option for me. However, once I had made up my mind, they were fully supportive".{{YouTube|XTbQxxo6X1w|"Bridging the Gap: An Interaction with Naval Chief - Admiral D. K. Joshi (Doordarshan, 2013)}}

File:100323-N-OX597-187 Indian navy Vice Adm. D. K. Joshi, right presents a wooden plaque.jpg D. K. Joshi (right) as the Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command]]

File:Admiral DK Joshi CNS Desig being welcomed by Outgoing CNS Admiral Nirmal Verma for a ceremonial Parade at South Block, New Delhi.jpg for a ceremonial Parade at South Block, New Delhi]]

Joshi graduated from the Indian Naval Academy and was commissioned into the executive branch of the Indian Navy on 1 April 1974. He is also an alumnus of the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, the College of Naval Warfare, Goa, and the National Defence College, New Delhi.{{cite web|url=http://indiannavy.nic.in/press-release/admiral-dk-joshi-assumes-command-indian-navy-its-21st-chief|title=Press Release:Indian Navy}}

Subsequently, Joshi was elevated as the 21st Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy, having assumed office on 31 August 2012.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/admiral-dk-joshi-cns-21st-chief-indian-navy|title=Admiral D K Joshi, 21st Chief Of Naval Staff of Indian Navy}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.andaman.gov.in/and_lg|title=Lt Governor of A&N Islands}}File:A. K. Antony at the Bi-annual Naval Commanders' Conference 2013 in New Delhi on May 14, 2013. The Defence Secretary, Shri Shashikant Sharma and the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral D.K. Joshi are also seen.jpg D. K. Joshi (centre) with the then Defence Minister A. K. Antony and the then Defence Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma (extreme-left).|alt=|center]]

Admiral Joshi resigned following a fire aboard Kilo-class submarine INS Sindhuratna on 26 February 2014. The Times of India wrote that Admiral D. K. Joshi, who was to serve as the Navy Chief till August 2015, "was a hard taskmaster who always ran tight ships. He was unforgiving as a commanding officer wherever he served, tightening screws wherever he went." Many naval officers felt that he had lived up to his own exacting standards by resigning.{{Cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Admiral-DK-Joshi-ran-tight-ships-was-hard-taskmaster/articleshow/31062424.cms|title = Admiral DK Joshi ran 'tight ships', was hard taskmaster | India News - Times of India| website=The Times of India }}

The Islands Development Agency (IDA) was constituted on 1 June 2017 under the Chairmanship of Home Minister Rajnath Singh, and Admiral D. K. Joshi was designated as its Vice-Chairman, following the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's review meeting on the development of Indian Islands Territories. The major mandate of the Islands Development Agency includes guiding the policies, programmes and formulation of Integrated Master Plans for Comprehensive Development of the Islands. Islands Development Agency, with support of the NITI Aayog, is undertaking the holistic development of the Islands territories of India, while giving due consideration to their unique maritime and territorial bio-diversity.

The first IDA Meeting was held on 24 July 2017. IDA has so far met six times since its constitution, with the fourth review meeting held on 30 June 2018, being chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India himself. With the re-constitution of Islands Development Agency, the Government of India has been fast-tracking the holistic development its Islands territories.{{Cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1496881|title=Union Home Minister chairs first meeting of Island Development Agency (IDA). IDA focuses on Holistic Development of Islands.}}{{Cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1599301|title=Shri Amit Shah chairs Meeting of the Island Development Agency focusing on 'Green Development in the Islands to reach a new Height'}}File:The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi reviewing the progress towards the holistic development of islands, in New Delhi on June 30, 2018 (1).JPG

The Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the New Integrated Terminal Building of Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair via video conferencing on 18 July 2023. With a construction cost of around INR 710 crores, the new terminal building is capable of handling about 50 lakh passengers annually. Earlier the terminal had the capacity to handle 4000 tourists, and the new terminal has taken this number to 11,000 and 10 planes can be parked at any given time on the airport now. {{Cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1940403|title=PM inaugurates New Integrated Terminal Building of Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair}}File:VSI Airport.jpgFile:VSI Airport1.jpg

Great Nicobar Island Development Project{{Cite web |last=Sirur |first=Simrin |date=2022-01-30 |title=Govt vision for Great Nicobar includes airport & township, some experts think it's 'nonsense' |url=https://theprint.in/environment/govt-vision-for-great-nicobar-includes-airport-township-some-experts-think-its-nonsense/814390/ |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Tandon |first=Aditi |date=2022-10-10 |title=[Maps] Environmental path cleared for Great Nicobar mega project |url=https://india.mongabay.com/2022/10/maps-environmental-path-cleared-for-great-nicobar-mega-project/ |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=Mongabay-India |language=en-US}} is a planned mega-infrastructure project for the southern tip of Great Nicobar Island in Andaman Sea of India.{{Cite news |title="Public hearing on January 27 for Great Nicobar development project" Hindustan Times |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/public-hearing-on-january-27-for-great-nicobar-development-project-101640943466176.html}}{{Cite web |last=PTI |date=2022-09-21 |title=Green nod for strategically-crucial Great Nicobar Island mega project, around 8.5 lakh trees to be felled |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2022/sep/21/green-nod-for-strategically-crucial-great-nicobar-island-mega-project-around-85-lakh-trees-to-be-f-2500539.html |access-date=2025-02-26 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}} The island comes under the Nicobar district administration in the Indian union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The International Container Transshipment Port (ICTP), also called the Galathea Bay Port is a proposed container transshipment port at Galathea Bay, Great Nicobar Island in the union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, to be constructed at a cost of ₹44,000 crore.{{Cite web |date= |title="Shri Sarbananda Sonowal visits Galathea Bay in Great Nicobar Island and reviews progress of proposed International Container Transhipment Port (ICTP)" |url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1979157 |website=Press Information Bureau.}} It has a natural depth of more than 20 meter.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-21 |title=From Vision To Reality: Great Nicobar Island’s Transformation Plan - The Hills Times |url=https://thehillstimes.in/featured/from-vision-to-reality-great-nicobar-islands-transformation-plan |access-date=2025-02-26 |language=en-US}} It is developed by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways under the Government of India.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-27 |title=Government to build International Container Transhipment Port in Great Nicobar Island |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/business/infrastructure-government-to-build-international-container-transhipment-port-in-great-nicobar-island-2961754/ |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=Financialexpress |language=en}} In September 2024, it was officially notified as the 13th major port of India. The first phase of development is expected to be commissioned in 2028.{{Cite web |last=Simhan |first=TE Raja |date=2024-10-20 |title=Galathea Bay: New major port can be game changer |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/galathea-bay-new-major-port-can-be-game-changer/article68776059.ece |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=BusinessLine |language=en}}

Joshi took oath on 8 October 2017 as the fourteenth Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a territory which is the largest archipelago system in the Bay of Bengal, composed of 836 islands, islets and rocks.{{cite news|last=Post|first=The Phoenix|url=http://thephoenixpostindia.com/admiral-d-k-joshi-retd-sworn-13th-lt-governor-n-islands/|title=Admiral D K Joshi (Retd.) sworn in as the 13th Lt Governor of A& N Islands|date=8 October 2017|work=The Phoenix Post}}{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/plans-afoot-to-make-andamans-major-tourist-attraction-like-maldives-mauritius/articleshow/68762218.cms?from=mdr|title=Plans afoot to make Andamans a major tourist attraction|newspaper=The Economic Times}} He concurrently remains designated as Vice-Chairman Islands Development Agency also.

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-mil}}

{{s-bef|before=Nirmal Kumar Verma}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chief of the Naval Staff|years=2012 to 2014}}

{{s-aft|after= RK Dhowan}}

{{s-bef|before=Sanjeev Bhasin}}

{{s-ttl|title=FOC - in - C Western Naval Command|years=2011 to 2012}}

{{s-aft|after= Shekhar Sinha}}

{{s-bef|before=Air Marshal S C Mukul}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chief of Integrated Defence Staff|years=2010 to 2011}}

{{s-aft|after= VAdm Shekhar Sinha}}

{{s-bef|before=Vijay Shankar}}

{{s-ttl|title=Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command|years=2009 to 2010}}

{{s-aft|after= Lt Gen N C Marwah}}

{{s-bef|before=Sanjeev Bhasin}}

{{s-ttl|title=Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet|years=2006 to 2007}}

{{s-aft|after=Robin K. Dhowan}}

{{s-bef|before=R F Contractor}}

{{s-ttl|title=Commanding Officer INS Viraat|years=2001 to 2003}}

{{s-aft|after=Anil Chopra}}

|-

{{s-gov}}

{{s-bef| before=Jagdish Mukhi}}

{{s-ttl| title=Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar| years=8 October 2017 - Present}}

{{s-aft| after= Incumbent}}

|-

{{s-end}}

{{Chief_of_the_Naval_Staff_(India)}}

{{Current Indian lieutenant governors and administrators}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Joshi, Devendra Kumar}}

Category:Chiefs of the Naval Staff (India)

Category:Living people

Category:Military personnel from Uttarakhand

Category:Indian Navy admirals

Category:Naval War College alumni

Category:1954 births

Category:Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal

Category:People from Almora

Category:Lieutenant governors of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Category:National Defence College, India alumni

Category:Commanders-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command

Category:Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal

Category:Recipients of the Yudh Seva Medal

Category:Recipients of the Vishisht Seva Medal

Category:Recipients of the Nau Sena Medal

Category:Naval War College, Goa alumni

Category:Indian Naval Academy alumni