New Delhi/Goa: Rear Admiral Nelson A J D’Souza, currently serving as Commandant of the Military Institute of Technology (MILIT), has been appointed as Director (Operations) at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), a key defence public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Defence.
An accomplished naval officer with over 33 years of distinguished service, Rear Admiral D’Souza is known for his deep technical expertise and strategic leadership. Commissioned into the Indian Navy in March 1991, he is an alumnus of SJCE Mysore (BE in Electronics & Communication), the Defence Services Staff College (Wellington), and the Naval War College (Goa).
As Commandant of MILIT, he led initiatives to bolster tri-services training and fostered academic-industry collaboration in emerging defence technologies. MILIT plays a pivotal role in preparing Indian and allied officers as next-generation techno-warriors.
Rear Admiral D’Souza’s illustrious naval career includes senior appointments such as Chief Staff Officer (Technical), Eastern Naval Command, Principal Director (Weapon Equipment), Naval HQ, and General Manager (Refit), Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. He has also served as Electrical Officer on frontline Indian Navy warships including INS Viraat, INS Kirch, and INS Mysore. In 2018, he was awarded the Nau Sena Medal for distinguished service.
In his new role at GSL, Rear Admiral D’Souza will oversee the shipyard’s shipbuilding and repair operations, contributing to India’s maritime defence readiness and advancing the Make in India vision for indigenous defence production.
Born in Kulshekar and educated at St Aloysius College, Mangalore, he brings with him a strong legacy of discipline, innovation, and mission-focused leadership.
About Goa Shipyard Limited
Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) is an public sector undertaking for defence ship building located on the West Coast of India at Vasco da Gama, Goa. It was established in 1957, originally by the colonial government of the Portuguese in India as the “Estaleiros Navais de Goa”, to build barges to be used in Goa’s growing mining industry, which took off after the establishment of India’s blockade of Goa in 1955. In the wake of Portugal’s defeat and unconditional surrender to India following the 1961 Indian annexation of Goa, it was requisitioned to manufacture warships for the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard.
