Rear Admiral Iychettira Belliappa Uthaiah, AVSM, VSM

Rear Admiral Iychettira Belliappa Uthaiah is from Mythadi in Kodagu. As the first Kodava to attain the rank of Admiral in the Indian Navy, he has brought great pride to the district by rising to this position. So far, four Officers from the community have risen to the rank of Commodore in the Indian Navy. The position of Rear Admiral, is equivalent to that of a Major General in the Indian Army.

Family

Father

Iychettira M Belliappa (Bollu)

Mother

Iychettira (Cheppudira) Lalitha Belliappa

Wife

Iychettira (Maneyapanda) Ramya

Children

Son 

Anirudh

Daughter

Aakanksha

Education

Completed his B.Tech, M.Tech and M.Phil courses.

Career

An alumnus of the 1^st Naval Engineering Course at the Naval College of Engineering, Lonavla and the Naval War College, Rear Admiral IB Uthaiah, AVSM, VSM was Commissioned into the Indian Navy on 05 Nov 87. A double Post Graduate Mechanical Engineer with an M.Tech and M.Phil degree, he has held several challenging appointments in areas of Warship Design, Building and Acquisition and gas turbine Operation & Maintenance. Apart from spearheading Warship acquisitions and policy formulation, he has provided impetus to the Navy’s largest Infrastructure Project at Karwar.

His key senior appointments in operations and staff include General Manager (Refit) at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, and Principal Director (Ship Production), where he was instrumental in concluding major ship construction contracts with Russian and Indian Shipyards. On being elevated to Flag Rank, he has tenanted appointments as Additional Director General (Technical), Project Seabird; Admiral Superintendent, Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, and Chief Staff Officer (Technical), at the Headquarters, Eastern Naval Command. Currently serving at the Naval Headquarters as Director General (Warship Design Bureau), he is responsible for the design and construction of indigenious Warships.

His exemplary service while tenanting professionally challenging field and staff appointments over an illustrious naval career of 37 years, has been recognised through the award of the prestigious Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), by the Hon’ble President of India.