Rear Admiral SK Jha was commissioned in the Indian Navy on 01 Jan 1978.  He has specialised in Hydrography and is also a qualified Ship’s Diver.  He is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College,Wellington and the college of Naval Warfare, Mumbai.  Rear Admiral SK Jha is a reciepent of the Nau Sena Medal (Gallantry) for act of Bravery, whilst serving onboard INS Investigator as the Executive Officer.  He has held several important appointments both afloat and ashore during his illustrious career in the Navy.
 
    His appointments include the commissioning Executive Officer of INS Investigator and the Command of INS Nirupak and Nirdeshak.  He has to his credit very challenging surveys including that of the first Project Survey undertaken by the Indian Naval Hydrographic Department and the pioneering hydrographic survey of Seychelles as part of defence cooperation.  He also headed the premier Training establishment, National Institute of Hydrography, Goa.  It was under his stewardship, the Long Hydrographic course was recognised by the University of Goa for the award of Post Graduate degree.  He also had a stint with the Government of Maharashtra, on deputation, where he served as Chief Ports Officer and Hydrographer to the Government of Maharashtra.  He was instrumental in drawing out and formulating the Port policy as well as the Passenger Water Transport policy during his tenure with the Government of Maharashtra.

       The Admiral served as the Principal Director of Hydrography at the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Navy) where he played a major role in the Indo Pakistan boundary talks which led to the historic joint survey of the Sir Creeks waters.  During this tenure he also was the co-chair of the Indo Mauritius Joint Hydrgraphic Committee.  He later took over the command of INS Venduruthy, a premier Naval Establishment of the Navy.  Whilst holding this appointment, he was in addition holding the appointment as the Naval Officer-in-charge Kerala.  He was instrumental in setting up of the Joint Operation center at Kochi.

        Later on attaining the Flag Rank, Admiral SK Jha took reins of the National Hydrographic Office as the Joint Chief Hydrographer, the first officer of the flag rank to do so. He always evinced a keen interest in the activities of various professional bodies related to surveying and cartography. He was elected as the President of the Institution of surveyors from 2008 to 2009 and later was elected as President of Indian National Cartographic Association in 2011. Rear Admiral SK Jha was appointed the Chief Hydrographer to the Government of India in Oct 2011.