Rear Admiral Raja Menon retired in 1994 as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Operations). A submarine specialist, he pioneered the development of the new submarine arm of the Indian Navy, and was therefore exposed at an early stage to policy, finance and strategy. He was a member of the Arun Singh Committee to restructure the national defence set-up in India, as also a member of the Defence University Committee. Admiral Menon is visiting lecturer at all institutes of higher study of the Indian armed forces and was instrumental in organizing the first nuclear management course for Indian service officers. He is a consultant to the Indian Net Assessment Directorate. With two M.Sc degrees in Defence Studies, Admiral Menon writes regularly for journals and newspapers in India and abroad. His publications include Maritime Strategy and Continental Wars (1988), A Nuclear Strategy for India (2000), and The Indian Navy: A Photo Essay (2000). Married to a well-known painter, the Menons have two grown up sons. Admiral Menon is a keen sailor, golfer, vintage car owner and weekend farmer.
