Commodore PH Mohamed Salih is a graduate in B Tech (Naval Architecture & Shipbuilding) from Cochin University of Science & Technology, Kochi, Kerala. After joining the Indian Navy as an Engineer (Naval Architect) Officer in 1982, he underwent further training in warship design at IIT Delhi; PG in Submarine Design at the Russian Naval Academy, Saint Petersburg; and Higher Defence Management course at the College of Defence Management, Secunderabad. During his naval career spanning 33 years, he served in several capacities at the Integrated Headquarters, MoD (Navy), in Delhi as well as at the headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam; Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam; and Ship Building Centre, Visakhapatnam. Cmde Salih has spent Over 20 years of his naval tenure in the design, construction, overseeing and programme management of India’s nuclear submarine programme: the Arihant class SSBNs.
On retirement from the navy, he worked in Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam, as Director (Corporate Planning & Personnel) for three years. He joined the Submarine Design & Engineering Centre of Larsen & Toubro Defence as Head Submarine Design (New Initiatives) in 2018, spearheading the design and development of L&T’s own Special Operations Vehicle L&T SOV400, also working in certain other classified projects for the Indian MoD. He presently serves as Senior Consultant in the same organization.