Sushil Kumar Isaacs | |
---|---|
![]() | |
16th Chief of the Naval Staff | |
In office 30 December 1998 –29 December 2001 | |
President | K. R. Narayanan |
Prime Minister | Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
Preceded by | Vishnu Bhagwat |
Succeeded by | Madhvendra Singh |
Personal details | |
Born | Neyyoor,Kanyakumari district,Tamil Nadu,India |
Died | New Delhi | 27 November 2019
Awards | Param Vishisht Seva Medal Uttam Yudh Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Nao Sena Medal |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | ![]() |
Years of service | 1961 - 2001 |
Rank | ![]() ![]() |
Commands | Chief of the Naval Staff Southern Naval Command FORTAN |
Battles/wars | Goa Liberation of 1961 Indo-Pakistan War of 1965 Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 Kargil War |
Admiral Sushil Kumar Isaacs,PVSM,UYSM,AVSM,NM (died 27 November 2019) was an Indian Navy Admiral who served as Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) of the Indian Navy. He was the Director of Naval Operations during Operation Pawan and Operation Cactus and was the CNS during the Kargil War.
A native of Neyyoor (Nagercoil),he joined the Indian Navy and was commissioned in 1961. He ceased to use his surname of Isaacs [1] because it caused confusion with his brother,who shares the same initials and is also a naval officer. [2] He was an alumni of The Bishop's School,Pune
A specialist in hydrography and amphibious warfare, [3] Kumar was also a qualified air warfare instructor. He was an alumnus of the National Defence College and was an instructor at the Defence Services Staff College,Wellington. His training abroad included a deputation to the Royal Navy on board HMS Dampier in 1963 and a course in amphibious warfare with the US Navy at Coronado,California,in 1976. [4] He participated in the 1961 invasion of Goa and in both the Indo-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971. He was awarded the Nao Sena Medal for gallantry whilst in command of INS Ghorpad.
Kumar was promoted to substantive commander on 1 January 1977 and to captain on 1 January 1983. [5] [6] As Director of Naval Operations,he was decorated with the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal for his exceptional conduct in Operation Pawan and in Operation Cactus (Liberation of Maldives).
Kumar was promoted to substantive rear admiral on 6 July 1990. [7] Kumar held operational commands and important posts such as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff,the Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area (FOMA),Commander of the Flotilla in Mumbai and Fortress Commander,Andaman and Nicobar Islands (FORTAN). He was the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command in Kochi,before being appointed the Chief of Naval Staff. Sushil Kumar assumed charge of the Indian Navy,as the 16th Chief of Naval Staff,on 30 December 1998. During his tenure as CNS,He was the highest-decorated serving officer in the Indian Navy,and he retired on 29 December 2001. He was a keen yachtsman and played polo on the international circuit,for which he had an international rating of 4+ goals. [4]
Kumar died on 27 November 2019 at the Indian Army Research and Referral Hospital,Delhi at the age of 79. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences upon this. [8] [9]
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |
![]() ![]() ![]() | ||||
![]() ![]() | ||||
Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas,PVSM,AVSM,VrC,VSM,ADC was an Indian naval officer who was a flag officer of the Indian Navy. Ramdas first served in the Indian Navy in 1953,before being promoted as a flag lieutenant to Ram Dass Katari,the first Indian Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral. In 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. During his service in the military confrontation,he was awarded the Vir Chakra. Ramdas later served as the 13th Chief of Naval Staff from 1990 to 1993.
The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) is a statutory office held by the professional head of the Indian Navy (IN),the naval branch of the Indian Armed Forces. Customarily held by a four-star admiral,the CNS is the senior-most operational officer of the IN,tasked with the roles of overseeing the force's overall functioning during states of peace and conflict,along with the realization of India's strategic maritime objectives,namely,the defence of the country's sovereignty against maritime threats and the security of international sea lines in the Indo-Pacific.
Admiral Sardarilal Mathradas 'Charles' Nanda,PVSM,AVSM was an Indian Navy admiral who served as the 6th Chief of the Naval Staff from 1 March 1970 until 28 February 1973. He led the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and successfully executed a naval blockade of both West and East Pakistan,helping India achieve an overwhelming victory during the war. For the important role he played in the war,the Government of India awarded him the Padma Vibhushan,India's second-highest civilian award. Nanda is recognised as one of the most notable commanders in the history of the Indian Navy.
Admiral Vijai Singh Shekhawat,PVSM,AVSM,VrC,ADC is a former Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy. He was 14th Chief of Naval Staff and served as Navy Chief from September-30 1993 to September-30 1996. Admiral Shekhawat is a Patron of the General K.S. Thimayya Memorial Trust.
Admiral Ram Dass Katari was an Indian Navy Admiral who served as the 3rd Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) from 22 April 1958 to 4 June 1962. He was the first Indian to hold the office and succeeded the last British officer to the post,Vice Admiral Sir Stephen Hope Carlill.
Admiral Bhaskar Sadashiv Soman was an Indian Navy Admiral. He was in command of the Indian Navy from 1962 to 1966 as the 4th Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS).
Admiral Ronald Lynsdale 'Ronnie' Pereira,PVSM,AVSM was a flag officer in the Indian Navy. He served as the ninth Chief of Naval Staff from 1979 to 1982. He is considered to be one of the architects of the modern Indian Navy.
Admiral Adhar Kumar Chatterji was an Admiral in the Indian Navy. He served as the 5th Chief of the Naval Staff,from 4 March 1966,until 28 February 1970. He was the first Indian officer of the navy to hold the rank of full Admiral. He is credited with the transformation of the Indian Navy. He made sweeping changes and restructured the navy,creating the Western and Eastern Naval Commands and the Western Fleet. Under him,the Indian Navy also entered the submarine age,with the commissioning of INS Kalvari (S23) in 1967.
Admiral Jayant Ganpat "Podgy" Nadkarni,PVSM,AVSM,NM,VSM,ADC was an Indian Navy Admiral who served as the 12th Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy from 1 December 1987 to 30 November 1990.
Admiral Sourendra Nath Kohli,PVSM was an Indian Navy admiral who served as the 7th Chief of the Naval Staff from 1 March 1973 until 29 February 1976. Kohli served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-IN-C) of the Western Naval Command during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 and successfully led Indian Navy's Western Fleet in Operation Trident and Operation Python against the Pakistan Navy fleet in Karachi. His prior commands include those as the commanding officer of INS Mysore (C60) and INS Rana (D115).
Admiral Jal Cursetji,PVSM was a former Flag Officer in the Indian Navy. He served as the 8th Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) from 1 March 1976 until 28 February 1979. He was the first hydrographer to serve as the CNS.
Vice Admiral Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani,PVSM,AVSM,NM was a former flag officer in the Indian Navy. He served as the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff from 1987 to 1989. Prior to that,he served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command. He was the Commissioning Commanding Officer of the INS Rajput (D51),the lead vessel of the Rajput class destroyers. He was awarded the Nausena Medal for gallantry during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.
Vice Admiral Nilakanta Krishnan,PVSM,DSC,was a former flag officer in the Indian Navy. He was the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War.
AdmiralKarambir Singh,PVSM,AVSM,ADC,is a former flag officer of Indian Navy,who served as the 24th Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS). The "Grey Eagle" of the Navy,he replaced Admiral Sunil Lanba as the CNS after his retirement on 31 May 2019. Prior to his ascension,Admiral Singh served as the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff and Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief,Eastern Naval Command.
Vice Admiral Bimal Verma,AVSM,ADC is a retired Flag Officer in the Indian Navy. He served as the 13th Commander-in-Chief,Andaman and Nicobar Command from 29 February 2016 to 1 December 2019.
Admiral Radhakrishnan Hari Kumar is retired flag officer in the Indian Navy. He served as 25th Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS). Previously,he served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief,Western Naval Command. In his prior appointments,he served as the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff,Chief of Personnel,Controller Personnel Services,the Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet,Flag Officer Sea Training and the Chief of the Staff of the Western Naval Command. He was the Commandant of the Naval War College,Goa and served as a naval advisor to the government of Seychelles. He is an alumnus of National Defence Academy,the Naval War College,the Army War College,Mhow and the Royal College of Defence Studies.
Vice Admiral Sree Harilal Sarma,PVSM was an Indian Navy admiral who served as Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF) during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. He later served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command from 1 March 1977 to 2 February 1978.
Vice Admiral Makarand Aravind Hampiholi,PVSM,AVSM,NM is a former flag officer in the Indian Navy. He last served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief,Southern Naval Command. Previously,he served as the Commandant of Indian Naval Academy and served as the Director General Naval Operations (DGNO) at Naval headquarters.
Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi,PVSM,AVSM,NM is a serving four star flag officer of the Indian Navy. He is the current and 26th Chief of Naval Staff. He previously served as the 38th Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.He earlier served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command,as the Chief of Personnel (COP) and as the Director General of Naval Operations (DGNO). On 19 April 2024,he was appointed the next Chief of the Naval Staff succeeding Admiral R. Hari Kumar.
Vice admiral is a three-star flag officer rank in the Indian Navy. It is the second-highest active rank in the Indian Navy. Vice admiral ranks above the two-star rank of rear admiral and below the four-star rank of admiral,which is held by the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS).