Director General of Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Rakesh Pal, has died of a massive cardiac arrest in southern India’s Chennai, on Sunday, August 18. As per reports, Pal was in INS Adyar, preparing for the visit of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh when he complained of chest pain. He was immediately rushed to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in the city on Sunday afternoon.
However, he failed to respond to treatment and breathed his last around 7 pm, reports said.
Pal was serving as the 25th Director General of the Coast Guard.
The union minister, and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, paid their last respects to Pal at the hospital.
Reacting to the demise of the Coast Guard Director General, the Defence Minister tweeted: “Deeply saddened at the untimely demise of Shri Rakesh Pal, DG, Indian Coast Guard in Chennai today. He was an able and committed officer under whose leadership ICG was making big strides in strengthening India’s maritime security. My heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family.”
Pal was an alumnus of the Indian Naval academy and joined the Coast Guard in 1989. He had served in various posts before becoming the ICG Director General.
A native of Uttar Pradesh, Pal was conferred with Tatrakshak Medal in 2013 and President’s Tatrakshak Medal in 2018 for his services.
