Rakesh Pal (ICG Chief)

Some Lesser Known Facts About Rakesh Pal

• Rakesh Pal was an officer in the Indian Coast Guard who came into the limelight after being appointed as the 25th Director General (DG) of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) in July 2023.

• After he finished his formal education, he enrolled at the Indian Naval Academy (INA) in Ezhimala, Kerala, where, he underwent military training.

• He commenced serving as an Assistant Commandant (AC) in the Indian Coast Guard in January 1989.

• Thereafter, he pursued specialized professional training in Gunnery & Weapons Systems at the Indian Naval School Dronacharya in Kochi, Kerala, making him the first gunner in the history of ICG.

• Later, he attended an Electro-Optics Fire Control Solution course in the United Kingdom.

• Rakesh Pal had a vast amount of maritime expertise. He had successfully overseen operations on various types of ICG ships including ICGS Samarth, ICGS Vijit, ICGS Sucheta Kriplani, ICGS Ahalyabai, and ICGS C-03.

• In Gujarat, Rakesh Pal had overseen the operations of two Coast Guard bases in Okha and Vadinar’s advanced regions.

  

• Rakesh Pal was elevated to the post of Additional Director General (ADG) and posted to the Coast Guard Headquarters in New Delhi in February 2022.

  

• The Indian Coast Guard executed various operations and drills while under his command. These included capturing illegal drugs and substances and confiscating valuable gold worth millions of rupees. The Coast Guard also conducted rescue missions for mariners caught in severe cyclonic storms, collaborated with foreign coast guards in joint exercises, conducted anti-poaching operations, provided humanitarian aid during cyclones and other natural disasters, and carried out coastal security exercises.

• Rakesh Pal later took over the role of the presiding Indian Governor at the 17th Governing Council Meeting conducted in Singapore in March 2023.

  

• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) approved his selection as the 25th Director General (DG) of the ICG on 19 July 2023. In an interview, Rakesh Pal talked about his appointment, and said,
  

  I am very honoured and privileged to take over as the 25th DG of the Indian Coast Guard. My priorities are to make sure that our Coast Guard charter of duties for which we are mandated, we are going to fulfil that. We are going to ensure gap-free surveillance, coastal security. We are having a very good synergy and the coordination with multistake agencies. We are looking forward to ensure that the coastal security apparatus is as per the SoP which is in place.”

• In August 2024, while receiving Rajnath Singh, the Defence Minister of India, for an event, he passed out following which he was taken to a hospital in Chennai, where he died around 7 pm while being treated.