Kannur/UNI: Rear Admiral Prakash Gopalan assumed charge as the Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor of Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala on Friday.

The admiral, who was commissioned into the Indian Navy in July 1993, is an alumnus of the Naval Academy, Mandovi, Defence Service Staff College, Wellington and National Defence College, New Delhi.

A specialist in Navigation and Direction, he served as the Executive officer of Indian Naval ships Kirch and Shivalik and commanded Kora, Mysore and Mumbai.

He also held appointments as Director Naval Plans at Naval Headquarters, Defense Adviser at the High Commission of India at Colombo, and Fleet Operations officer of the Eastern Fleet, a statement said Saturday.