Commandant of the National Defence Academy

Commandant of the National Defence Academy
Incumbent Vice Admiral Gurcharan Singh AVSM, NM since 25 May 2024
Type	Military
Status	Active
Residence	Commandant's Residence, National Defence Academy
Seat	National Defence Academy
Formation	1 January 1949
First holder	Major General Thakur Mahadeo Singh, DSO
Deputy	Rear Admiral S K Grewal, NM, VSM
Website	www.nda.nic.in

The Commandant of the National Defence Academy is the head and overall in-charge of the National Defence Academy. The Commandant of the Academy is a Three-star rank officer from the three Services in rotation. He is supported by the Deputy Commandant (a Two-star rank appointment),^[1] Brigadier Administration (Brig Adm),^[2] Principal Director (Training)^[3] (both One-Star appointments), a Civilian Principal^[4] and the Adjutant (An Officer of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel).^[5]

Commissioned as Joint Services Wing (JSW), the interim training academy was set up at the Indian Military Academy (IMA). The first Commandant of JSW was Major General Thakur Mahadeo Singh, DSO. The present-day National Defence Academy was constructed in Pune and was formally commissioned on 7 December 1954 as the successor to JSW of IMA. The program of JSW was transferred from IMA to NDA. Major General Enaith Habibullah was the last head of the JSW and the First Commandant of NDA at Pune.^[6]