New Delhi, February 26
Around 1970, when Admiral DK Joshi -- then a young 16-year old -- was keen on joining the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakvasla, Pune, his mother Hansa Joshi expressed apprehension on her son joining the forces due to the ‘risk factor’.

Today, more than 34 years later, her fears may seem prophetic as an unforeseen risk had led to her son quitting the post of the Chief of the Indian Navy -- the fourth largest navy in the world.

Though Hansa Joshi had reconciled with the wishes of her son, Admiral Joshi -- with his resignation -- has today risen in the esteem of the men he commanded.

Like a seaman, he has taken a straightforward call. When he walked up to Defence Minister AK Antony at noon, Joshi was clear that he was quitting, and he made it known that he had to “resign with immediate effect”. In early 2010, the Admiral, then the Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN), was tasked with the conduct of Exercise Milan which had a clutch of ASEAN countries which are locked in overlapping claims with China in the South China Sea.

Beijing was fidgety, the dispute was with the United Nations, but Joshi’s team conducted the exercise without a furore and with diplomacy -- under the full glare of the media. Answering a question on the South China Sea two years later, Joshi -- as Chief of the Navy -- told the media, “When there are situations where the country’s interests are involved -- for example, ONGC Videsh -- we will be required to go there and we are prepared for that.”

He went on to say that the Navy was holding exercises for such contingencies. “Are we holding exercises of that nature? The short answer is yes,” Admiral Joshi had said. Far away in Washington and Tokyo, his words were lapped up.

Joshi, who was commissioned in 1974, was the 21st Chief of the Navy since the country’s independence. He is a specialist in anti-submarine warfare and has served in command, staff and instructional appointments.

His experience includes a stint in warship production and acquisition as the assistant controller of the Aircraft Carrier Program (ACCP). He then worked at the “Operations Branch”, first as an assistant chief of naval staff (Information Warfare and Operations) and then as deputy chief of the Naval staff. Joshi has been the commander-in-chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command, the tri-service integrated command in India.

A native of Dehradun, Joshi studied at Hansraj College in New Delhi. He graduated from the US Naval War College in Rhode Island and attended the National Defence College in New Delhi. Besides commanding several warships, he commanded Aircraft Carrier INS Viraat.