Director General of the Indian Coast Guard, Rakesh Pal, died of a severe cardiac arrest in Chennai yesterday. He was 59. He was in Chennai to participate in the Coast Guard function led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. He was taken to the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial General Hospital in a serious condition and was given emergency treatment.

He breathed his last there. He had worked with the Coast Guard for 34 years and became the Director General in July last year. He was honoured with the Vishist Seva medal for his tremendous contribution to the modernisation and development of the Indian Coast Guard.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin paid floral tributes to the mortal remains of the Director General at the General Hospital. 
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in his tweet, termed his death a great loss and said that the Coast Guard has lost an efficient and dedicated officer.