New Delhi: Rear Admiral Ichettira B. Uthaiah has taken over as the Director General of Warship Design Bureau from Rear Admiral Bimal Kumar on Feb. 1, 2023. He earlier held the post of Admiral Superintendent at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam. Uthaiah is the only Naval officer from Kodagu serving third in the top echelons of the Indian Navy.

On being elevated to Flag Rank, Uthaiah has served as Additional Director General (Technical), Project Seabird and Chief Staff Officer (Technical), at the Headquarters, Eastern Naval Command, prior to taking over his current assignment.

Commissioned into the Indian Navy in Nov.1987, Uthaiah is an alumnus of the Naval College of Engineering, INS Shivaji, Lonavala, and holds an M.Tech and M.Phil degrees in addition.

In his 35 years of service, the Rear Admiral has served the Indian Navy in various capacities, with appointments at Warship Design Directorate, Training Academies, Naval Dockyard and at the Command and Naval HQ.

His key staff appointments cover areas of Warship Design, Building and Acquisition; Warship Operation, Maintenance and Repair, Officer Training and Project Management of a mega Marine and Civil Infrastructure Project. His operational and staff appointments include General Manager (Refit) at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, and Principal Director (Ship Production).

He was awarded the Vishist Seva Medal (VSM) for distinguished service at Naval Dockyard and was instrumental in concluding major warship construction contracts with Russian and Indian Shipyards as Principal Director. Uthaiah is married to Ramya, daughter of Maneyapanda Ravi. The couple has a son and a daughter.