Indian Coast Guard Director General Rakesh Pal passes away due to heart attack

Indian Coast Guard Director General Rakesh Pal passed away due to a heart attack in Chennai on Sunday, officials reported. Pal was scheduled to attend an Indian Coast Guard event with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. However, he felt unwell and was taken to Rajiv Gandhi General Hospital earlier in the day, according to officials quoted by PTI.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who was in Chennai for the launch of a commemorative coin honoring Kalaignar M Karunanidhi's birth centenary, along with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, paid their last respects to Rakesh Pal.

Who is Indian Coast Guard Director General Rakesh Pal?

Pal, originally from Uttar Pradesh, was an alumnus of the Indian Naval Academy. He joined the Indian Coast Guard in January 1989 and became the Director General in July 2023. Pal specialized in Gunnery and Weapons Systems at the Indian Naval School Dronacharya in Kochi and completed a course in Electro-Optics Fire Control Solutions in the United Kingdom.

Rakesh Pal was honored as the first gunner of the Coast Guard and received the Tatrakshak Medal (TM) in 2013 and the President Tatrakshak Medal (PTM) in 2018 for his exceptional service. Before becoming the Director General of the Coast Guard, he held important roles including Commander of Coast Guard Region (North West) in Gandhinagar, Deputy Director General (Policy and Plans), and Additional Director General at the Coast Guard Headquarters in New Delhi.

Pal commanded a variety of Coast Guard ships, including ICGS Samarth, ICGS Vijit, ICGS Sucheta Kriplani, ICGS Ahalyabai, and ICGS C-03. He also led two Coast Guard bases in Gujarat, located in Okha and Vadinar.