New Delhi: Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh is an alumnus of the UP Sainik School Lucknow and the prestigious National Defence Academy.  With an enviable & most illustrious career in the Indian Navy since 1983, he is due to retire from active service on 28 February 2023, after over four decades in the white uniform.

He was the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command since Dec 21 and has been conferred with the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2011,  Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2016 and Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022 for his exemplary service to the nation.

This career spanning 4 decades include varied operational training and senior leadership roles in the maritime domain. He served on a large number of operational naval ships and participated in OP PAWAN( Sri Lanka), and Op PARAKRAM  as the Fleet Navigating Officer of Western Fleet. He had the opportunity to be in Command on 7 occasions including four operational ships based at Mumbai. These include Indian Naval Ships Veer (Missile Vessel), Vindhyagiri (Frigate), Trishul (Guided Missile Frigate) and Viraat (Aircraft Carrier). He has also been an instructor at the National Defence Academy at Pune, Navigation & Direction School at Kochi and Directing Staff at Defence Services Staff College Wellington.

The Flag Officer received his first Masters from Madras University during the Staff Course at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, wherein he was awarded the Scudder Medal. The Flag Officer has also earned a Master’s Degree in Global Security from Cranfield University, United Kingdom in 2005.

He was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral in 2012 at the young age of only 49 years and thereby has had the opportunity to serve in senior leadership roles spanning Long term Perspective and Financial planning, Force Development and Acquisitions, Infrastructure creation, Strategy and Transformation for an extended period. He has served in the important appointment of Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy & Plans) at Naval Headquarters, wherein through his foresight he spearheaded the creation of the Future Indian Navy. Later he commanded  the prestigious operationally significant Eastern Fleet.

On promotion to Vice Admiral, in 2015, he was first Naval Officer to be appointed as Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Forces Command, and has also been the Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations & Training) at the Tri-Service Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, New Delhi. He has thus acquired a rare combination of exposure/ experience at tri-Service organisations and in higher level policy-planning, making him an asset for the Higher Defence Organisation.

He was also the Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command. 

He was later accorded the unique privilege of being the Commander in Chief of Eastern Naval Command and later he took over the reins of Western Naval Command. He is one of the very few officers who has the unique distinction of being the C-in-C of both operational Commands of the Indian Navy.

The Flag Officer is married to Mrs Charu Singh and the couple intends to return to his ancestral roots in Prayagraj.