Chennai | Indian Coast Guard Director General Rakesh Pal died at a government hospital here following a "cardiac arrest", Defence sources here said.
Pal, who was to attend an ICG event along with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, was admitted to the state-run Rajiv Gandhi General Hospital (RGGH) earlier in the day after he complained of uneasiness, they said, without divulging details.
Singh, who also attended a Tamil Nadu government event to release a commemorative coin on late DMK President M Karunanidhi's birth centenary, rushed to the hospital to pay his respects on hearing of Pal's demise.
Rakesh Pal was appointed as the 25th Director General of the Indian Coast Guard on Wednesday (July 19). The officer, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, was an alumnus of the Indian Naval Academy and joined Indian Coast Guard (ICG) in January 1989.
The director general had undergone professional specialisation in the Gunnery and Weapons System at the Indian Naval School Dronacharya in Kochi and Electro-Optics Fire Control Solution course from the United Kingdom. Pal held the recognition of being the first gunner of the ICG.
In his career of over 34 years, the flag officer had held several key appointments afloat and ashore. Among them, the prominent ones were - Commander Coast Guard Region (North West) in Gandhinagar, Deputy Director General (Policy and Plans) and Additional Director General Coast Guard at the Coast Guard Headquarters in New Delhi.
Besides, he had held various other prestigious staff assignments, like - Director (Infra and Works) and Principal Director (Administration) at Coast Guard Headquarters in New Delhi.
Pal also had experience in commanding all the classes of the ICG ships, namely - ICGS Samarth, ICGS Vijit, ICGS Sucheta Kriplani, ICGS Ahalyabai and ICGS C-03. He had commanded two Coast Guard bases of the forward area in Gujarat - Okha and Vadinar.
He was elevated to the rank of Additional Director General in February 2022 and was appointed as the Additional Director General Coast Guard at the Coast Guard Headquarters in New Delhi. He was also given the Additional Charge of Director General Coast Guard in February 2023.
Under Pal's supervision, several major operations and exercises were successfully accomplished, including - the seizure of drugs and gold worth crores of rupees, the rescue of mariners during very severe cyclonic storm, joint exercises with Foreign Coast Guard, anti-poaching operations, humanitarian assistance during cyclones and other naturals calamities and coastal security exercises.
Rakesh Pal had also been conferred with the Tatrakshak Medal (TM) in the year 2013 and President Tatrakshak Medal (PTM) for his distinguished service in 2018.
