Laxminarayan Ramdas

Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas, PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM, ADC (5 September 1933 – 15 March 2024) was an Indian naval officer who served as the 13th Chief of Naval Staff, from 1990 to 1993. Ramdas joined the Indian Navy in 1953, and served as the flag lieutenant to Admiral Ram Dass Katari, the first Indian Chief of the Naval Staff. During the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, he was involved in a naval blockade of East Pakistan, hindering attempts to evacuate 93,000 troops and leading to East Pakistan's surrender, for which he was awarded the Vir Chakra.

Early life and education

Laxminarayan Ramdas was born on 5 September 1933<ref name=":0" /><ref name="The Times of India 2024 i198" /><ref name=":1" /> into a Tamil Brahmin family. He grew up in Matunga in Mumbai.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He attended the Cambridge School Srinivaspuri in Delhi.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After passing his Senior Cambridge, Ramdas joined the 1st course of the Joint Services Wing (JSW) in Dehradun in January 1949. He was part of 'B' squadron of 4 Division. The JSW later moved to Khadakwasla in Pune and was christened the National Defence Academy in 1954.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Ramdas was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 September 1953, with seniority as a sub-lieutenant from the same date.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He then attended the Royal Naval College, Greenwich from December 1953 to May 1955, where he trained as a communication specialist.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

After his return to India, he was promoted to lieutenant on 16 August 1955.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He then served as the Flag lieutenant to the first Indian Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Ram Dass Katari.Template:Sfn

Ramdas was promoted to lieutenant-commander on 16 August 1963.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Ramdas was promoted to Commander on 30 June 1969; he was appointed the first Officer-in-charge Naval Academy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He went on to establish and head the Naval Academy in Kochi, Kerala, for which he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal on 26 January 1971.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Naval Academy moved to Goa in 1986 and to Ezhimala in Kerala in 2009 as the Indian Naval Academy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Ramdas (3rd from right) with former chiefs and Admiral Robin K. Dhowan at the Conclave of Chiefs, 2015

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, as part of the newly formed Eastern Fleet, whilst in command of INS Beas, Admiral Ramdas took part in the most effective naval blockade of East Pakistan which frustrated Pakistan's attempt to evacuate 93,000 of their troops who eventually surrendered to the Indian Forces.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> INS Beas also captured a large number of ships carrying contraband to East Pakistan, bombarded Cox's Bazar and took part in the landing and other operations in an area which had been mined.<ref name=":1" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was awarded the Vir Chakra, the third-highest gallantry award.<ref name=":0" />

The citation for the Vir Chakra reads as follows:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Quotation

Post-war career

After the war, Ramdas commanded a Patrol Vessel Squadron in the Indian Navy. He later served as Naval Attaché in Germany for three years, and was promoted to captain on 1 July 1976.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Flag rank

Ramdas was promoted to acting Rear Admiral 7 April 1981 (substantive from 1 June 1981) and took over as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) at NHQ.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 29 June 1983, he was appointed Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF),Template:Cn and also took command of the Eastern Fleet.<ref name=":1" />

Ramdas was promoted to Vice Admiral on 1 April 1985 and appointed Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition (CWP&A).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 20 February 1986, he took over as Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (DNCS). After an eighteen-month stint as DCNS, Ramdas was appointed Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command. He took command from Vice Admiral Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani at Kochi. In February 1989, he moved to Vizag as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command. On 26 January 1989, he was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal.<ref name="PVSM">Template:Cite web</ref> He was at the helm of the Eastern Naval Command for about twenty months.<ref name="new_Vice_Chief_Navy">Template:Cite web</ref>

Chief of Naval Staff

Ramdas was appointed the next Chief of the Naval Staff, succeeding Admiral Jayant Ganpat Nadkarni. He took over as CNS on 30 November 1990.<ref name="PIB - CNS">Template:Cite web</ref> The Chief of the Army Staff was General Sunith Francis Rodrigues. On 1 August 1991, Air Chief Marshal Nirmal Chandra Suri took over as the Chief of the Air Staff. All the three service chiefs were from the same course, the 1st JSW, a first in India.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 30 June 1993, with the superannuation of General S. F. Rodrigues, Ramdas took over as Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Ramdas was married to Lalita Ramdas (née Katari), daughter of Admiral Ram Dass Katari, the first Indian Chief of Naval Staff. He served as the Aam Aadmi Party's internal lokpal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His younger daughter, Kavita Ramdas, is the senior advisor to the President of the Ford Foundation and had previously served for many years as country representative of the Ford Foundation in India. Kavita Ramdas is married to Zulfiqar Ahmad, a Pakistani national who is a peace activist.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Retirement

After retirement, Ramdas took up residence at Alibag. He together with his wife, then devoted themselves to a variety of humanitarian causes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The couple also intervened in military matters. They were part of the group which filed a PIL in the Supreme Court of India against the appointment of the then Lt. Gen. Bikram Singh for the post of Chief of Army Staff.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The couple opposed the establishment of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu. For his efforts to demilitarise and denuclearize South Asia, and his efforts to prevent the building of the Kudankulam reactor, Ramdas was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for peace in 2004.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ramdas died on 15 March 2024, at the age of 90.<ref name="The Times of India 2024 i198">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

References

Bibliography

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