On death row in Qatar, former Indian Navy officer Captain Navtej Singh Gill got President medal

Chandigarh, October 27

Captain Navtej Singh Gill (retd), one of the eight Navy personnel awarded the death sentence in Qatar on allegations of espionage, belonged to Chandigarh and had a good service profile till he chose to leave the Navy midway.

Commissioned in January 1987, he was awarded the President’s Gold Medal for being the best cadet during pre-commission training and later served as an instructor at the prestigious Defence Services Staff College in Wellington.

Officers, who have worked with him, said he served onboard surface ships and was a navigation and direction expert. Son of a retired Army officer, he was also a keen sportsperson, having played badminton at the service level.

Sources said he had opted for pre-mature retirement after putting in 20-22 years of service and, thereafter, worked in the private sector. He, along with the seven others, was working in Qatar for a private firm, Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, which provided training and other services for Qatar’s armed forces.