View source for Philipose George Pynumootil

{{short description|Indian Navy admiral}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Rear admiral (India)|Rear Admiral]]
| name          = Philipose G Pynumootil
| honorific_suffix = [[AVSM]], [[Nao Sena Medal|NM]]
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| image         = File:RAdm Philipose George Pynumootil.jpg
| image_size    = 200px
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| allegiance    = {{IND}}
| branch        = {{navy|India}}
| serviceyears  = 1986 - 2022
| rank          = [[File:British Royal Navy (sleeves) OF-7.svg|20px]] [[File:12-Indian Navy-RADM.svg|20px]] [[Rear admiral (India)|Rear Admiral]]
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| commands      = Goa Naval Area<br/>[[INS Shikra]]<br/>[[INAS 330]]<br/>{{ship|INS|Brahmaputra|1994}}<br/>{{ship|INS|Kirpan|P44}}<br/>{{ship|INS|Nashak|K83}}<br/>1241 RE corvette
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| awards        = [[File:Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medal_ribbon.svg|20px]] [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]<br/>[[File:Nao_Sena_Medal_ribbon.svg|20px]] [[Nao Sena Medal]]
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[[Rear admiral (India)|Rear Admiral]] '''Philipose George Pynumootil''', [[AVSM]], [[Nao Sena Medal|NM]] is a former flag officer of the [[Indian Navy]]. He last served as the Flag Officer Naval Aviation and Flag officer Goa Naval Area. He previously served as the [[Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Assistant Chief of Naval Staff]] (Air) at Naval headquarters. He superannuated on 30 April 2022.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1821619|title=REAR ADMIRAL VIKRAM MENON TAKES OVER AS FOGA|publisher=PIB|date=2022-04-30}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Pynumootil was born to Pynumootil Simon George, a [[fighter pilot]] in the [[Indian Air Force]], and Glory George. George rose to the rank of [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] and last served as [[Inspector General of Flight Safety|Inspector General (Inspection & Safety)]] at Air headquarters.<ref>{{cite web |title=Service Record for Air Marshal Pynummooltil Simon George 4240 F(P) at Bharat Rakshak.com |url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/4240 |website=Bharat Rakshak |language=en-gb}}</ref> Philipose's elder brother Simon joined the Indian Navy and trained as a naval aviator. Simon was killed when the [[Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander]] aircraft he was piloting crashed, in May 1985. His sister Sara is married to [[Brigadier]] Chacko Ipe, a former [[Indian Army Armoured Corps]] officer from [[64th Cavalry (India)|64th Cavalry]].<ref name="Quint">{{cite web |last1=Kumar |first1=KP Sanjeev |title=A Tale Of Two Families, United By Tragedy & White Uniform of Navy |url=https://www.thequint.com/voices/opinion/first-indian-naval-air-squadron-inas-550-flying-fish-diamond-jubilee-nostalgia#read-more |website=TheQuint |language=en |date=2019-06-20}}</ref> 

Pynumootil attended the [[Lawrence School, Lovedale]] where he completed his schooling.<ref>{{cite web |last1=OLA |first1=Office of the |title=Rear Admiral Philipose George Pynumootil, NM Takes Over as Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA) {{!}} OLA |url=https://olalovedale.net/rear-admiral-philipose-george-pynumootil-nm-takes-over-as-flag-officer-naval-aviation-fona/}}</ref> He then joined the 67th course of the [[National Defence Academy (India)|National Defence Academy]], [[Pune]].<ref name="FONA BS" />

He is married to Priya Ittycheria, daughter of late Colonel Jacob Ittycheria. Their daughter, Rahel, is a journalist in New Delhi. 

== Naval career ==
[[File:Rear Admiral Philipose George Pynumootil.jpg|thumb|right|Pynumootil as a [[Commodore (India)|Commodore]]]]
Pynumootil was commissioned into the [[Indian Navy]] on 1 January 1986. He trained as a [[Naval aviator]], following his brother and father who were both pilots. He trained at the [[Air Force Academy (India)|Air Force Academy, Dindigul]] and the [[Helicopter Training School]]. He qualified as a helicopter pilot on the [[Westland Sea King]] and the [[Aérospatiale Alouette III]] (HAL Chetak). He served as the [[Flight Commander]] on board INS Delhi. He flew extensively during [[Operation Pawan]] in [[Sri Lanka]] in 1990. In 1993, he served in Somalia, flying helicopters during [[Operation Restore Hope]].<ref name="ACNS ET" />

In 1998, Pynumootil, took command of the [[Veer-class corvette]] {{ship|INS|Nashak|K83}}. After a year-long stint, he was selected to attend the [[Defence Services Staff College]] in [[Wellington Cantonment|Wellington]]. He subsequently served as a senior pilot in the carrier-borne [[anti-submarine warfare]] (ASW) Sea King squadron [[INAS 330]]. In 2002, he took over as the commanding officer of the squadron. He was then appointed the  [[executive officer]] of the lead ship of [[Delhi-class destroyer|her class of guided missile destroyers]] {{ship|INS|Delhi|D61}} in January 2004. After serving as EXO of ''Delhi'' for a little over a year, he took command of the [[Khukri-class corvette]] {{ship|INS|Kirpan|P44}}.  He was in command of the ''Kirpan'' during the [[President's fleet review|Review of the Fleet]] by the [[President of India]] [[Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]] in 2005. In 2006, Pynumootil attended the Higher Air Command course at the [[College of Air Warfare]], [[Secunderabad]].<ref name="FONA BS">{{cite web |title=Rear Admiral Philipose George Pynumootil, NM Takes Over as Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA) |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/government-press-release/rear-admiral-philipose-george-pynumootil-nm-takes-over-as-flag-officer-118021000632_1.html |website=Business Standard India |date=2018-02-10}}</ref> 

After the higher air command course, Pynumootil was appointed the commissioning [[commanding officer]] of the [[naval air station]] [[INS Shikra]]. Located in Colaba, Mumbai, ''INS Shikra'' is a [[heliport]] and was commissioned on 22 January 2009. Later that year, he commanded the [[lead ship]] of [[Brahmaputra-class frigate|her class of guided missile frigates]] {{ship|INS|Brahmaputra|1994}}. For his command of the ''Brahmaputra'', he was awarded the [[Nau Sena Medal]].<ref name="ACNS" />  He subsequently attended the [[Royal College of Defence Studies]], [[London]] where he obtained a [[Master of Arts]] degree in International Relations from [[King's College London]]. 

In October 2011, Pynumootil moved to naval headquarters as the Principal Director of Aircraft Acquisition. He had a long tenure of three-and-a-half years, serving till May 2015.

===Flag rank===
In June 2015, Pynumootil was promoted to the rank of [[Rear admiral (India)|rear admiral]] and took over as the [[Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Assistant Chief of Naval Staff]] - Air (ACNS Air) at Naval HQ.<ref name="ACNS">{{cite web |title=New ACNS (Air) - RAdm Philipose George Pynumootil assumes charge {{!}} Indian Navy |url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/new-acns-air-radm-philipose-george-pynumootil-assumes-charge |website=www.indiannavy.nic.in}}</ref> In the six years that he spent as Principal Director aircraft acquisition and ACNS (Air), 8 [[Boeing P-8 Poseidon]], 45 [[Mikoyan MiG-29K]] and 17 [[BAE Systems Hawk]] were inducted into the Indian Navy.<ref name="ACNS ET">{{cite news |title=Rear Admiral Philipose G Pynumootil takes over as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/rear-admiral-philipose-g-pynumootil-takes-over-as-assistant-chief-of-naval-staff/articleshow/47506046.cms |website=The Economic Times|date=14 July 2018 }}</ref>

In February 2018, he was appointed Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA). During this tenure, he also dual-hatted as the Flag Officer Goa Area (FOGA).<ref name="FONA">{{cite web |title=Rear Admiral Philipose George Pynumootil, NM Assumes Charge as Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA) {{!}} Indian Navy |url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/rear-admiral-philipose-george-pynumootil-nm-assumes-charge-flag-officer-naval-aviation-fona |website=www.indiannavy.nic.in}}</ref> For his tenure as FONA and FOGA, he was awarded the [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]] on 26 January 2021.<ref name="AVSM">{{cite web |title=Distinguished Service and Gallantry Award Winners on Republic Day 2021 |url=https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1692374 |website=www.pib.gov.in |language=en}}</ref>

==Awards and decorations==
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Ati Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Nao_Sena_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=106}}{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND_Special_Service_Medal_Ribbon.svg|width=106}}{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND Operation Vijay medal.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND Operation Parakram medal.svg|width=106}}{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND_Sainya_Seva_Medal_Ribbon.svg|width=106}}{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND_Videsh_Seva_Medal_Ribbon.svg|width=106}}{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 50th Anniversary Independence medal.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 20YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|width=106}}{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 9YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|width=106}}
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
|[[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
|[[Nau Sena Medal]]
|[[Awards and decorations of the Indian Armed Forces#Service and campaign medals|Special Service Medal]]
|[[Operation Vijay Medal]]
|-
|[[Operation Parakram Medal]]
|[[Sainya Seva Medal]]
|[[Videsh Seva Medal]]
|[[Indian military decorations#Service and campaign medals|50th Anniversary of Independence Medal]]
|-
|
|[[Indian military decorations#Long service awards|20 Years Long Service Medal]]
|[[Indian military decorations#Long service awards|9 Years Long Service Medal]]
|
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef| before = [[Puneet Kumar Bahl]]}}
{{s-ttl| title = Flag Officer Commanding Goa Area &<br/>Flag Officer Naval Aviation | years = 2018 - 30 April 2022}}
{{s-aft| after = [[Vikram Menon]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pyunumootil, Philipose}}
[[Category:Indian Navy rear admirals]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
[[Category:National Defence Academy (India) alumni]]
[[Category:Helicopter pilots]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Indian naval aviators]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Nau Sena Medal]]
[[Category:College of Air Warfare alumni]]
[[Category:Defence Services Staff College alumni]]