Commodore Rajan Vir

The Indian Maritime Foundation (IMF) an NGO, was established at Pune 20 years ago by the benevolence of founder President, Captain Rajan Vir IN, a navigator by profession. The IMF is dedicated to creating Maritime awareness among the youth of the nation and to progress the maritime interests of India. The members of IMF are retired and serving naval officers from the Indian Navy and Merchant Marine and several well wishers form the Mercantile trade and those interested in seeing India fulfil its maritime destiny. IMF arranges visits to ships for schools, seminars and research and recently a hotline for sailors in distress was established, as the IMF has the expertise to help. It issues a quarterly magazine SEAGULL and recently the President of India conferred the honorary rank of Commodore to retired navy Captain Rajan Vir. We congratulate Commodore Rajan Vir and the IMF.

The press release is appended below

New Delhi: Agrahayana 16, 1928

07 December 2006

The President of India has conferred upon a retired Navy Captain Rajan Vir the honorary rank of Commodore. The rank was awarded in recognition of his outstanding contribution in fostering international understanding and cooperation in the maritime field as head of the Indian Maritime Foundation (IMF). The Indian Navy took up his case for the unique honour, which was forwarded to the President after due vetting by the Ministry of Defence. Captain Rajan Vir is the founder President of the IMF and has been responsible for its growth and development, through thick and thin since its inception in 1993. As a result of his indefatigable efforts, the IMF has come to occupy a high place amidst the maritime fraternity in India as well as internationally. The Foundation has been actively engaged in organizing seminars on contemporary maritime subjects to promote understanding among the academia and policy shapers in the country. They also conduct lectures and workshops in schools and colleges to spread awareness and foster better understanding among the youth on related issues. To promote international understanding and co-operation in the maritime field, the IMF has been inviting and hosting visits to India by distinguished professionals from abroad for lectures and exchange of ideas with serving and retired officers. They have also been interacting with several maritime organizations around the world such as the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

The IMF was registered in1993 as a Public Trust with the Charity Commissioner and granted exemption from Tax.