Flag Officer Commanding Goa Naval Area
{{Short description|A senior appointment & one of the five Area Commanders of the Indian Navy.}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Flag Officer Commanding
Goa Naval Area
(FOGA)
| body =
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| insignia =
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| flag = File:Rear_Admiral_ensign_of_Indian_Navy.svg
| flagsize = 150
| flagborder = yes
| flagcaption = Flag of the FOGA (Rear Admiral's flag)
| image = File:RADM_AJAY_D_THEOPHILUS.jpg
| imagesize = 150
| alt =
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| incumbent = Rear Admiral Ajay D. Theophilus
| acting =
| incumbentsince = 1 August 2023
| department = Indian Navy
| style =
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| abbreviation = FOGA
| member_of =
| reports_to = Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command
| residence =
| seat = Goa
| nominator =
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| first = Rear Admiral R. H. Tahiliani
| last =
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}}
Flag Officer Commanding Goa Naval Area (FOGA) is a senior appointment in the Indian Navy. One of the five Area Commanders of the Indian Navy, the FOGA is a two star admiral holding the rank of Rear Admiral. The FOGA is responsible for the operations and administration of all units and establishments in the state of Goa. Since 1987, the FOGA dual-hats as the Flag Officer Naval Aviation. The current FOGA is Rear Admiral Ajay D. Theophilus, who assumed office on 1 August 2023.
History
After the Liberation of Goa and its absorption into the Indian Union in 1961, a naval detachment was established at Vasco in January 1962. This detachment grew and was commissioned as INS Gomantak in March 1964. In June that year, the naval air station INS Hansa moved from Sulur to Dabolim. With the development of establishments and naval infrastructure, the post of Naval Officer-in-Charge Goa (NOIC Goa) was created.{{sfn|Singh|1992}}{{cite web |title=INS HANSA MARKS DIAMOND JUBILEE ON 05 SEP 21 |url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1752311 |website=pib.gov.in |access-date=7 May 2025}}
In 1977, the appointment of NOIC Goa was upgraded to Rear Admiral and re-designated Flag Officer Commanding Goa Naval Area (FOGA). Rear Admiral R. H. Tahiliani, AVSM took over as the first FOGA on 30 December 1977.{{sfn|Hiranandani|2000}}
In 1986, it was proposed to rationalise the command and control of the naval air arm by creating the appointment of Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA). The FONA would be responsible for all aviation training and maintenance activity and act as the class authority for all aviation matters. The operational deployment of all aviation units would continue to be controlled and directed by the respective commanders-in-chief. With Goa being the home of the naval air arm, FOGA was the natural choice to also serve as the FONA. In March 1986, the serving FOGA Rear Admiral R. V. Singh assumed the appointment of FONA as well. Since then the FOGA has dual-hatted as the FONA.{{sfn|Hiranandani|2005}}{{sfn|Hiranandani|2009}}
Organisation
The FOGA is assisted by the NOIC (Goa) and the Chief Staff Officer at Headquarters Goa Naval Area (HQGNA), both one-star appointments. The FOMA reports to the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command. The establishments under the FOGA include:{{cite web |title=WNC Authorities & Units {{!}} Indian Navy |url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/node/5184 |website=www.indiannavy.nic.in |access-date=22 September 2023}}
- Headquarters Goa Naval Area (HQGNA)
- The base depot ship INS Gomantak
- The naval air station INS Hansa
- The naval hospital INHS Jeevanti
- Sagar Prahari Bal, Goa
List of Commanders
See also
References
{{reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{citation|first1=Satyindra|last1=Singh|title=Blueprint To Bluewater - The Indian Navy 1951-1965|year=1992|isbn=81-7062-148-8|publisher=Lancer Publishers}}
- {{citation|last1=Hiranandani|first1=Gulab Mohanlal|year=2000|title=Transition To Triumph - Indian Navy 1965-1975|publisher=Lancer Publishers LLC|isbn=1-897829-72-8}}
- {{citation|first1=Gulab Mohanlal|last1=Hiranandani|title=Transition to eminence : The Indian Navy 1976-1990|year=2005|isbn=978-8170622666|publisher=Lancer Publishers}}
- {{citation|last1=Hiranandani|first1=Gulab Mohanlal|year=2009|title=Transition to Guardianship: The Indian Navy, 1991–2000|publisher=Lancer Publishers LLC|isbn=978-1-935501-66-4}}
{{Indian Navy}}