M A Hampiholi | |
|---|---|
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| Allegiance |  India |
| Branch |  Indian Navy |
| Service years | 1 July 1985 - 31 December 2023 |
| Rank | _OF-8.svg)  Vice Admiral |
| Commands | Southern Naval Command Indian Naval Academy Western Fleet INS Mandovi Mauritius Coast Guard INS Talwar (F40) INS Magar (L20) INS Nashak (K83) |
| Awards |  Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Nao Sena Medal |
Vice AdmiralMakarand Aravind Hampiholi,PVSM,AVSM,NM is a formerflag officer in theIndian Navy. He last served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief,Southern Naval Command.[1] Previously, he served as theCommandant of Indian Naval Academy and served as theDirector General Naval Operations (DGNO) at Naval headquarters.
Hampiholi was born inDharwad inKarnataka. He attended theSainik School, Bijapur.[2] He graduated from the National Defence Academy in 1983 with the President's gold medal.
Hampiholi was commissioned into theIndian Navy in the Executive branch on 1 July 1985. He is a specialist inAnti-submarine warfare. He has completed the staff course at theDefence Services Staff College (DSSC) inWellington Cantonment and the higher command course at theNaval War College, Goa. He has also attended theNational Defence College,New Delhi.[3]
In the early years of his career, he served as an ASW specialist aboard theNilgiri-classfrigateINS Himgiri (F34), theAbhay-class corvetteINS Agray and theGodavari-class frigateINS Ganga (F22).
Hampiholi has commanded theVeer-class missile vesselINS Nashak (K83), theMagar-class amphibious warfare vesselINS Magar (L20) and theTalwar-classguided missile frigateINS Talwar (F40). He has also served as theSecond-in-command of theKhukri-class corvetteINS Khukri (P49). During his command of INS Talwar, he was conferred the Nausena Medal (Devotion to Duty).[4]
He also commanded theNational Coast Guard of Mauritius from 2003 to 2005. From June 2007 to June 2009, Hampiholi served as the Commandant of the Naval Academy and the Commanding Officer of Naval base INS Mandovi.
He has tenanted the instructional appointments of Instructor at the Anti Submarine Warfare School,Kochi and that of Senior Directing Staff at theNaval War College, Goa. Hampiholi, in his staff appointments, has served as the Joint Director of Personnel at Naval HQ, Naval Assistant to the Flag Officer Commanding-in-ChiefEastern Naval Command. He also served as the Principal Director Staff Requirements at Naval HQ.[5]
On promotion to Flag Rank, Hampiholi took over as the Assistant Chief of Personnel (Human Resource Development) (ACOP HRD). The ACOP is an assistant principal staff officer appointment at naval headquarters. He then assumed the office ofFlag Officer Sea Training (FOST) atKochi. As FOST, his charter included the conduct of the operational sea training of all ships of theIndian Navy and theIndian Coast Guard.
On 22 January 2018, Hampiholi assumed the office of theFlag Officer Commanding Western Fleet.[6] For his command of theWestern Fleet, Hampiholi was awarded theAti Vishisht Seva Medal on 26 January 2019.[7] Hampiholi took over as theDirector General Naval Operations on promotion to the rank ofVice Admiral on 27 March 2019.[8] On 27 July 2020, he assumed office as theCommandant of Indian Naval Academy.[9]
After an eighteen-month long tenure, Hampiholi was appointedFlag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command and took over on 30 November 2021.[10] He superannuated on 31 December 2023 and was succeeded byVice AdmiralVennam Srinivas.[11][12][13]
Hampiholi was awarded theNao Sena Medal in 2011, theAti Vishisht Seva Medal in 2019 and theParam Vishisht Seva Medal in 2023.[14]
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| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by N N Rao | Commandant of Indian Naval Academy 2007 - 2008 | Succeeded by M P Muralidharan |
| Preceded by S. K. Grewal | Flag Officer Sea Training 2016 - 2018 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet 2018 - 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Director General Naval Operations 2019 - 2020 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commandant,Indian Naval Academy 2020 - 29 November 2021 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief,Southern Naval Command 30 November 2021 - 31 December 2023 | Succeeded by |