The Chennai Chapter was inaugurated on 1 September 2009, by Vice Admiral Anup Singh, the then Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Eastern Naval Command. The inauguration ceremony was conducted in the august presence of Admiral Arun Prakash (Retd), the then Chairman of the National Maritime Foundation, and Shri Gopal Gandhi, Former Governor of West Bengal.
The role and charter of the Chennai Chapter are synonymous with the vision and mission of NMF and will undertake such activities to promote maritime awareness and thinking.
Regional Director
The founding Regional Director of Chennai Chapter was Commodore S Shekhar. The present Regional Director is Commodore RS Vasan IN.

Commodore RS Vasan IN
Experience: An alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, College of Naval Warfare (CNW) and the International Visitor Leadership Programme has a distinguished service of over 34 years in the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard. His appointments include command of warships, two naval air stations and a long range Maritime Air Squadron. His shore appointments include Chief Staff Officer Operations, Regional Commander of the Easter Region of the Coast Guard, Instructor at the Naval War College, A Director of Naval Aviation Staff. He was also the Chairman of the Aeronautical Society of India, President of the Navy Foundation in Chennai and the Director at TEXCO a TN Government run organization for Ex Servicemen.
Current Assignment: His additional current assignments include, Director Asian Secretariat World Border police, Member Advisory Group at the Madras University and Stella Maris College, visiting faculty at the Indian Maritime University, Hindustan Institute of Engineering, Academy of Maritime Education and Training and the Great Lake Institute of Management.
Publications/ Presentations: He has over hundred papers published in edited volumes, journals and international publications. He is a regular speaker at many international and national institutions and universities around the world. He has interacted with the Parliamentary group of British Parliament on Transatlantic and National security. He was also invited by the Chatham House for delivering a talk on maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean.