Deshmukh was commissioned into the Indian Navy as an Engineer officer on 31 March 1986. He attended the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras obtaining a Master of Technology degree. He also attended the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.[2]
He has served onboard various frontline ships - the Rajput-class destroyers INS Ranjit (D53) and INS Ranvir (D54)and the lead ship of her class of guided-missile destroyers INS Delhi (D61). He also served as the Engineer officer on board the Talwar-class frigate INS Tabar (F44).[3]
Ashore, he served as the Command Engineer Officer at the Eastern Naval Command, Assistant General Manager (Quality, Lab and Human Resources) and Assistant General Manager (Production) at the Naval Dockyard (Visakhapatnam).[4] As a Commodore, he served as the General Manager (Refit) at Naval Dockyard (Visakhapatnam). He subsequently moved to NHQ as the principal director of ship production.[5]
On promotion to flag rank, Deshmukh was appointed Assistant Chief of Materiel (Dockyards & Refits) at Naval headquarters (NHQ). He then moved to the Eastern Naval Command as the Chief Staff Officer (Technical) to the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command. In November 2018, he was appointed Admiral Superintendent (ASD) of Naval Dockyard (Visakhapatnam).[3] For his tenure as ASD, he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal on 26 January 2020.[6] In the same month, he was promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral and took over as the Director General Naval Projects, Visakhapatnam.[7]
After a sixteen-month tenure, he moved to NHQ and took over as the Controller Warship Production & Acquisition (CWP&A) from Vice Admiral Sandeep Naithani.[8] In his tenure as CWP&A, the first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-I) was commissioned as INS Vikrant (2013). The historic first trap of HAL Tejas on board the carrier was also achieved. Apart from this, the. keel laying, launch and commissioning of a number of frontline warships and submarines were achieved in his tenure.[9]
In December 2023, he was appointed Chief of Materiel, a principal staff officer (PSO) at NHQ.[10] He took over from Vice Admiral Sandeep Naithani on 31 December 2023. He also is the Senior most Technical Officer in the Indian Navy.[11]
India
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Vice Admiral
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Vishisht Seva Medal
