CHENNAI: Coast Guard director general Rakesh Pal, who was in Chennai to take part in the inauguration of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, died of cardiac arrest on Sunday. He was 59. Sources said he landed in Chennai on Sunday morning from New Delhi and visited the Coast Guard headquarters near INS Adyar to prepare for an event in which Union defence minister Rajnath Singh was the chief guest.
Around 2pm, Pal complained of chest pain and uneasiness.Singh, who was also in the same campus, visited Pal before proceeding to other events.
Suffered 4 cardiac arrests before reaching hospital
Doctors attending on Pal rushed him to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. Sources said he suffered at least four cardiac arrests before he reached hospital.
Doctors used life-saving measures, including a defibrillator, to revive him. When he reached the emergency room, his pulse and blood pressure were drastically low.
Doctors performed an angiogram and confirmed that the main vessel supplying blood to the heart was blocked. A balloon angioplasty was carried out to remove the block and he was shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU). “But his pulse and blood pressure began fluctuating again and he suffered another cardiac arrest. We could not revive him. He was declared dead at 7.10pm,” RGGGH dean Dr E Theranirajan said.
Rajnath Singh, who inaugurated the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, came to RGGGH along with Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin. Rakesh Pal’s mortal remains were shifted to Cantonment Hospital at St Thomas Mount and would be taken to New Delhi for funeral.
Rakesh Pal was appointed as the 25th director general of the Indian Coast Guard in July 2023. An alumnus of the Indian Naval Academy, Rakesh Pal joined the Coast Guard in January 1989. In his career spanning over 35 years, the flag officer has held several key appointments, prominent among them being commander, Coast Guard region (north west), Gandhinagar, deputy director general (policy & plans), and additional director general, Coast Guard at its headquarters in New Delhi.
He had vast sea experience and commanded all classes of Indian Coast Guard ships – ICGS Samarth, ICGS Vijit, ICGS Sucheta Kriplani, ICGS Ahalyabai, and ICGS C-03. He also commanded two Coast Guard bases of the forward area in Gujarat – Okha and Vadinar. He was conferred with Tatrakshak Medal in 2013 and President Tatrakshak Medal in 2018 for illustrious service.
Around 2pm, Pal complained of chest pain and uneasiness.Singh, who was also in the same campus, visited Pal before proceeding to other events.
Suffered 4 cardiac arrests before reaching hospital
Doctors attending on Pal rushed him to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. Sources said he suffered at least four cardiac arrests before he reached hospital.
Doctors used life-saving measures, including a defibrillator, to revive him. When he reached the emergency room, his pulse and blood pressure were drastically low.
Doctors performed an angiogram and confirmed that the main vessel supplying blood to the heart was blocked. A balloon angioplasty was carried out to remove the block and he was shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU). “But his pulse and blood pressure began fluctuating again and he suffered another cardiac arrest. We could not revive him. He was declared dead at 7.10pm,” RGGGH dean Dr E Theranirajan said.
Rajnath Singh, who inaugurated the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, came to RGGGH along with Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin. Rakesh Pal’s mortal remains were shifted to Cantonment Hospital at St Thomas Mount and would be taken to New Delhi for funeral.
Rakesh Pal was appointed as the 25th director general of the Indian Coast Guard in July 2023. An alumnus of the Indian Naval Academy, Rakesh Pal joined the Coast Guard in January 1989. In his career spanning over 35 years, the flag officer has held several key appointments, prominent among them being commander, Coast Guard region (north west), Gandhinagar, deputy director general (policy & plans), and additional director general, Coast Guard at its headquarters in New Delhi.
He had vast sea experience and commanded all classes of Indian Coast Guard ships – ICGS Samarth, ICGS Vijit, ICGS Sucheta Kriplani, ICGS Ahalyabai, and ICGS C-03. He also commanded two Coast Guard bases of the forward area in Gujarat – Okha and Vadinar. He was conferred with Tatrakshak Medal in 2013 and President Tatrakshak Medal in 2018 for illustrious service.