Pune: Director General of the Indian Coast Guard, Rakesh Pal, has passed away in Chennai after suffering a heart attack. Rakesh Pal was the 25th Director General of the Indian Coast Guard. A former student of the Indian Naval Academy, Pal joined the Indian Coast Guard in January 1989. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin paid their last respects to Rakesh Pal in Chennai.
Officials reported that Pal was scheduled to attend an Indian Coast Guard event with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. After complaining of discomfort, he was admitted to Rajiv Gandhi General Hospital (RGGH) earlier in the day. In response to his passing, Rajnath Singh tweeted, “Deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Indian Coast Guard Director General Rakesh Pal in Chennai today. He was a capable and committed officer under whose leadership the Indian Coast Guard was making significant progress in strengthening India’s maritime security. My heartfelt condolences to his grieving family.”
Rakesh Pal had achieved professional expertise in gunnery and weapon systems at the Indian Naval School Dronacharya in Kochi and also completed a course in Electro-Optics Fire Control Solutions in the UK. He had the distinction of being the first gunner in the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). Over his 35-year career, Rakesh Pal held several key positions.
Pal had extensive experience in the maritime domain and commanded all classes of ICG ships, including ICGS Samarth, ICGS Vijit, and ICGS Sucheta Kriplani. Under his leadership, the Coast Guard conducted several critical operations and exercises, which led to the seizure of drugs, narcotics, and gold worth millions of rupees. For his exceptional service, Rakesh Pal was honored with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), President’s Tatrakshak Medal, and Tatrakshak Medal. He is survived by his wife, Deepa Pal, and two daughters, Snehal and Tarushi.