Port Blair, May 04: Inspector General K Natarajan, PTM, TM, will take over as the 21st Commander of the Coast Guard Region (A&N) on 05 May 14 vice Inspector General VSR Murthy, PTM, TM. Inspector General K Natarajan joined the Indian Coast Guard on 18 Jan 1984 and holds Masters Degree in Defence & Strategic studies from Madras University.
Inspector General K Natarajan has held various important Command and Staff appointments, both afloat and ashore during his 30 years of illustrious career. He has commanded all four major classes of Indian Coast Guard ships with distinction, viz., Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel Sangram, Offshore Patrol Vessel Veera, Fast Patrol Vessel Kanaklata Barua and Inshore Patrol Vessel Chand Bibi. The Officer’s important Command appointments ashore include the Commander Coast Guard District No 5 (Tamil Nadu) and Commanding Officer ICGS Mandapam. The other key staff assignments include Principal Director (Policy & Plans), Chairman Coast Guard Service Selection Board (North), Project Director (Projects), Joint Director (Operations), Coast Guard Advisor to DGICG at the Coast Guard Headquarters, New Delhi and Chief Staff Officer (Personal & Administration), Headquarters Region (East), Chennai and Chief of Staff, Headquarters Region (West), Mumbai. He has also held the appointment of Officer-in-Charge Coast Guard Training Centre, Kochi.
On elevation to the flag rank in Aug 2009, he spearheaded the Staff Division of Policy & Plans at the Coast Guard Headquarters as the Deputy Director General (Policy & Plans) till Apr 2014. The Inspector General was instrumental in giving a fillip to the overall growth of the Coast Guard, post 26/11, in terms of surface platforms and infrastructure development including a dedicated academy. The Officer will assume the duties of the Commander Coast Guard Region (A&N) on 05 May 2014. The Flag Officer is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. A specialist in Search and Rescue, Maritime Safety and Port Operations, from the US Coast Guard Reserve Training Centre, Yorktown, Virginia, USA.
Inspector General K Natarajan is a recipient of President Tatrakshak Medal (Distinguished Service) in 2011, Tatrakshak Medal (Meritorious) in 1996 and was also awarded Director General Indian Coast Guard Commendation in 1987.
The Flag Officer is happily married to Mrs Jayanthi Natarajan. They have one daughter Dr Keerthika, a dentist and one son Neeraj who is pursuing higher education.
