S. M. Nanda
Encyclopedia
Sardarilal Mathradas Nanda (10 October 1915 – 11 May 2009) was an Indian Navy
admiral
who served as the 8th 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.
. He was raised on Manora Island at the entrance to the Port of Karachi
. He was the eldest of seven children. Prior to joining the Navy, Nanda had worked for the Karachi Port Trust
.
Volunteer Reserve during World War II
on 11 October 1941. He stayed in the Navy despite rapid, large-scale demobilization at the end of the war.
After independence in 1947, he opted to join the Indian Navy.
In 1948, he was appointed First Lieutenant
on board under the command of Captain H.N.S Brown, with then Lieutenant Commander Ram Dass Katari
as his Executive Officer
.
From 1949 to 1951, he served as the Director of Personnel Services.
In 1951, he took command of the R class destroyer
, . He was also the commanding officer of the navy's Frigate Squadron.
He was later transferred back to Naval Headquarters as Chief of Personnel.
He was promoted to Commodore
in 1957, and sent to England
to commission the Fiji class cruiser, , as her Commanding Officer.
Later, he was appointed Director General of the Naval Dockyards and undertook a major expansion of the dockyards.
He then attended the Imperial Defence College and was appointed Chief of Materials upon his return.
Nanda was promoted to Rear Admiral
and appointed Deputy Chief of Naval Staff in May 1962.
He was appointed Managing Director of Mazagon Dock Limited in December 1964 and undertook preparations for the construction of Nilgiri class frigates, the first major naval vessels to be constructed in India.
Given the difficulty India had in negotiating the purchase of from the UK, Nanda supported the acquisition of equipment from the Soviet Union
.
The 1962 Sino-Indian War
was largely fought over the Himalayas and the Navy did not have a major role. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
, the Navy was ordered to stay within Indian waters. When the Pakistani Navy bombarded Dwarka
, Nanda recognized the need to raise the Navy's profile and capabilities.
Nanda was instrumental in framing India's Naval strategy during the war. He feigned a defensive deployment southeast towards the Andaman Islands
, instead moving his Eastern fleet northwards into the Bay of Bengal
and enforcing a naval blockade against East Pakistan
.
His strategy against West Pakistan
was to strike hard against Pakistan's main port of Karachi. He is recognized as the mastermind behind Operation Trident and Operation Python
. The plan for the operations included towing the limited-range Vidyut class missile boat
s, primarily designed for coastal defence, to about 250 nautical miles (463 km) south of Karachi during the day, out of range of the Pakistan Air Force
aircraft. The missile boats then closed in on Karachi port at night and attacked naval targets as well as the oil tank farm at Keamari. Operation Trident was successfully executed on 4 December, 1971, sinking Pakistan Navy destroyer PNS Khaibar, minesweeper PNS Muhafiz
, an ammunition carrying ship MV Venus Challenger and irreparably damaging destroyer PNS Shah Jahan
as well as destroying numerous oil storage tanks. Operation Python
was again successfully carried out on 8 December 1971.
On the Eastern front, Nanda made the decision to deploy the air-craft carrier INS Vikrant into the shallower waters of the Gulf of Bengal off Dhaka
, to prevent the risk of a submarine attack. When concerns were raised about Vikrant's boilers being cracked, he took personal responsibility for the risk of a boiler explosion and catapult
failure on the carrier. His gambit paid off, as Vikrant was able to successfully enforce the blockade of East Pakistan without any such damage to the carrier.
The success of the naval blockades on two fronts is considered one of the primary factors in India's overwhelming victory during the war.
.
He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
in 1961 and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal
in 1966. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan
in 1972.
Admiral Nanda retired from the Indian Navy in 1973.
, which specialized in supply of imported weapons to the Indian Armed Forces.
Nanda's reputation was tarnished by the involvement of his family in several high profile controversies, two of which involved allegations of corruption and payment of bribes to Indian government officials for facilitating arms sales. A third case was an an attempt at a cover-up by his son and grandson in a hit-and-run
drunk driving accident, in which three policemen and three other individuals were killed at a police checkpoint by a speeding BMW driven by his grandson.
on 11 May 2009 at the age of 93. His funeral was marked with full military honours
, but not as well attended as his naval career mandated due to the involvement of his family in controversial cases.
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...
admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
who served as the 8th 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
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
and successfully executed a naval blockade of both West
West Pakistan
West Pakistan , common name West-Pakistan , in the period between its establishment on 22 November 1955 to disintegration on December 16, 1971. This period, during which, Pakistan was divided, ended when East-Pakistan was disintegrated and succeeded to become which is now what is known as Bangladesh...
and East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
, helping India achieve an overwhelming victory during the war.
Early life
Nanda was born on October 10, 1915 in PunjabPunjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...
. He was raised on Manora Island at the entrance to the Port of Karachi
Port of Karachi
The Port of Karachi is Pakistan's largest and busiest seaport, handling about 60% of the nation's cargo . It is located between the Karachi towns of Kiamari and Saddar, close to the main business district and several industrial areas. The geographic position of the port places it in close...
. He was the eldest of seven children. Prior to joining the Navy, Nanda had worked for the Karachi Port Trust
Karachi Port Trust
Karachi Port Trust is a Pakistani federal government agency that oversees the operations of the Port of Karachi in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.-History:...
.
Naval career
Nanda enlisted into the Royal Indian NavyRoyal Indian Navy
The Royal Indian Navy was the naval force of British India. Along with the Presidency armies and the later British Indian Army it comprised the Armed Forces of British India....
Volunteer Reserve during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
on 11 October 1941. He stayed in the Navy despite rapid, large-scale demobilization at the end of the war.
After independence in 1947, he opted to join the Indian Navy.
In 1948, he was appointed First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
on board under the command of Captain H.N.S Brown, with then Lieutenant Commander Ram Dass Katari
Ram Dass Katari
Ram Dass Katari was an Indian Navy Vice Admiral who served as the 5th Chief of the Naval Staff 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...
as his Executive Officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
.
From 1949 to 1951, he served as the Director of Personnel Services.
In 1951, he took command of the R class destroyer
R class destroyer
Two classes of destroyer of the Royal Navy are known as the R class:* R class destroyer , sixty-two ships, launched in 1916 and 1917, that served in World War I* Eight ships of the Q and R class, launched in 1942, that served in World War II...
, . He was also the commanding officer of the navy's Frigate Squadron.
He was later transferred back to Naval Headquarters as Chief of Personnel.
He was promoted to Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
in 1957, and sent to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to commission the Fiji class cruiser, , as her Commanding Officer.
Later, he was appointed Director General of the Naval Dockyards and undertook a major expansion of the dockyards.
He then attended the Imperial Defence College and was appointed Chief of Materials upon his return.
Nanda was promoted to Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
and appointed Deputy Chief of Naval Staff in May 1962.
He was appointed Managing Director of Mazagon Dock Limited in December 1964 and undertook preparations for the construction of Nilgiri class frigates, the first major naval vessels to be constructed in India.
Given the difficulty India had in negotiating the purchase of from the UK, Nanda supported the acquisition of equipment from the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
The 1962 Sino-Indian War
Sino-Indian War
The Sino-Indian War , also known as the Sino-Indian Border Conflict , was a war between China and India that occurred in 1962. A disputed Himalayan border was the main pretext for war, but other issues played a role. There had been a series of violent border incidents after the 1959 Tibetan...
was largely fought over the Himalayas and the Navy did not have a major role. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. This conflict became known as the Second Kashmir War fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir, the first having been fought in 1947...
, the Navy was ordered to stay within Indian waters. When the Pakistani Navy bombarded Dwarka
Dwarka
Dwarka also spelled Dvarka, Dwaraka, and Dvaraka, is a city and a municipality of Jamnagar district in the Gujarat state in India. Dwarka , also known as Dwarawati in Sanskrit literature is rated as one of the seven most ancient cities in the country...
, Nanda recognized the need to raise the Navy's profile and capabilities.
Chief of Naval Staff
In March 1970, Admiral Nanda took command as the 8th Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy. He was determined to change the mindset of the service from defence to attack. He got the opportunity to demonstrate this capability the following year during the war with Pakistan.Nanda was instrumental in framing India's Naval strategy during the war. He feigned a defensive deployment southeast towards the Andaman Islands
Andaman Islands
The Andaman Islands are a group of Indian Ocean archipelagic islands in the Bay of Bengal between India to the west, and Burma , to the north and east...
, instead moving his Eastern fleet northwards into the Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
and enforcing a naval blockade against East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
.
His strategy against West Pakistan
West Pakistan
West Pakistan , common name West-Pakistan , in the period between its establishment on 22 November 1955 to disintegration on December 16, 1971. This period, during which, Pakistan was divided, ended when East-Pakistan was disintegrated and succeeded to become which is now what is known as Bangladesh...
was to strike hard against Pakistan's main port of Karachi. He is recognized as the mastermind behind Operation Trident and Operation Python
Operation Python
Operation Python, a follow up to Operation Trident, was a code name of a naval attack launched on West Pakistan's port city of Karachi by the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971...
. The plan for the operations included towing the limited-range Vidyut class missile boat
Vidyut class missile boat
The Vidyut class missile boats of the Indian Navy were an Indian variant of the Soviet Osa I class.These vessels formed the illustrious 25th "Killer" Missile Boat Squadron, which sunk 2 destroyers, a minesweeper and various other vessels of the Pakistan Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.-...
s, primarily designed for coastal defence, to about 250 nautical miles (463 km) south of Karachi during the day, out of range of the Pakistan Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
aircraft. The missile boats then closed in on Karachi port at night and attacked naval targets as well as the oil tank farm at Keamari. Operation Trident was successfully executed on 4 December, 1971, sinking Pakistan Navy destroyer PNS Khaibar, minesweeper PNS Muhafiz
PNS Muhafiz
PNS Muhafiz was an of the Pakistan Navy. It was built by USA for transfer to Pakistan. PNS Muhafiz was sunk by a missile from INS Veer of the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.-Operation Trident:...
, an ammunition carrying ship MV Venus Challenger and irreparably damaging destroyer PNS Shah Jahan
PNS Shah Jahan
PNS Shah Jahan of Shahjahan may refer to one of the following ships of the Pakistan Navy:, the former British HMS Charity launched in 1944; acquired by the Pakistan Navy via the United States in 1958; ship was badly damaged in 1971 in the Indo-Pakistani War; scrapped in 1982, the former American ...
as well as destroying numerous oil storage tanks. Operation Python
Operation Python
Operation Python, a follow up to Operation Trident, was a code name of a naval attack launched on West Pakistan's port city of Karachi by the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971...
was again successfully carried out on 8 December 1971.
On the Eastern front, Nanda made the decision to deploy the air-craft carrier INS Vikrant into the shallower waters of the Gulf of Bengal off Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, to prevent the risk of a submarine attack. When concerns were raised about Vikrant's boilers being cracked, he took personal responsibility for the risk of a boiler explosion and catapult
Aircraft catapult
An aircraft catapult is a device used to launch aircraft from ships—in particular aircraft carriers—as a form of assisted take off. It consists of a track built into the flight deck, below which is a large piston or shuttle that is attached through the track to the nose gear of the aircraft, or in...
failure on the carrier. His gambit paid off, as Vikrant was able to successfully enforce the blockade of East Pakistan without any such damage to the carrier.
The success of the naval blockades on two fronts is considered one of the primary factors in India's overwhelming victory during the war.
Awards
Admiral Nanda was revered in the Indian Navy for his bold decision-making and for frequently defeating bureaucracy in his quest to improve the living conditions of his sailors and their families. For his heroism at sea, he was at times called India's NelsonHoratio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB was a flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was noted for his inspirational leadership and superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics, which resulted in a number of...
.
He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India given to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the armed forces....
in 1961 and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal
Param Vishisht Seva Medal
Param Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then till 1980, it was awarded in recognition to peace-time service of most exceptional order.-External links:...
in 1966. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan
Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan...
in 1972.
Admiral Nanda retired from the Indian Navy in 1973.
Later life
Following his retirement, Nanda took an executive role with Crown Corporation, an arms trading firm headed by his son Suresh NandaSuresh Nanda
Suresh Nanda is an Indian businessman, former Lt. Commander for the Indian navy, arms dealer, investment banker in the UAE and owner of several companies including the firm Crown Corporation, C-1 India, Dynatron Services, and the Claridges hotels in India...
, which specialized in supply of imported weapons to the Indian Armed Forces.
Nanda's reputation was tarnished by the involvement of his family in several high profile controversies, two of which involved allegations of corruption and payment of bribes to Indian government officials for facilitating arms sales. A third case was an an attempt at a cover-up by his son and grandson in a hit-and-run
Hit and run (vehicular)
Hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic accident , and failing to stop and identify oneself afterwards...
drunk driving accident, in which three policemen and three other individuals were killed at a police checkpoint by a speeding BMW driven by his grandson.
- Operation West End was a sting-operation which exposed corruption between India's defence ministry and Crown Corporation. Admiral Nanda's son, Suresh NandaSuresh NandaSuresh Nanda is an Indian businessman, former Lt. Commander for the Indian navy, arms dealer, investment banker in the UAE and owner of several companies including the firm Crown Corporation, C-1 India, Dynatron Services, and the Claridges hotels in India...
, is alleged to have paid bribes to defence minister George FernandesGeorge FernandesGeorge Mathew Fernandes is an Indian trade unionist, politician, journalist, agriculturist, and member of Rajya Sabha from Bihar. He is a key member of the Janata Dal , and was the founder of the Samata Party...
and other Samata PartySamata PartyThe Samata Party is a political party in India. Initially formed as an offshoot of the Janata Dal in 1994 by Nitish Kumar and George Fernandes. The reason given was that the Janata Dal had shifted to casteism...
officials for - selecting the Barak SAMBarak SAMBarak is an Israeli surface-to-air missile designed to be used as a point-defense missile system on warships, defending against aircraft, anti-ship missiles, and UAVs.-Barak I:...
system by Israel Aircraft IndustriesIsrael Aircraft IndustriesIsrael Aerospace Industries or IAI is Israel's prime aerospace and aviation manufacturer, producing aerial systems for both military and civilian usage. It has 16,000 employees as of 2007...
over the objections of the Indian defence research organization head APJ Abdul Kalam. - helping select Slovakian Armoured Recovery Vehicles by disallowing a lower-priced Czech quotation.
- The BMW hit-and-run case, involved Admiral Nanda's grandson and Suresh Nanda's son, Sanjeev NandaSanjeev NandaSanjeev Nanda is a businessman and the son of Suresh Nanda, an Indian arms dealer, head of the firm Crown Corporation and an ex-naval officer, implicated in a Tehelka expose. He is also the grandson of an ex-Chief of Naval Staff-turned businessman, S. M. Nanda from New Delhi...
, was charged with driving over 6 people including 3 policemen around 3 AM on 10 January, 1999 in a drunken state, in a BMWBMWBayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
car at high speed. The car did not stop, but the trail it left in its wake could be followed in the morning to where it was being cleaned of blood and other human remains. As of 2007, the case was in appeal in a higher court after Sanjeev NandaSanjeev NandaSanjeev Nanda is a businessman and the son of Suresh Nanda, an Indian arms dealer, head of the firm Crown Corporation and an ex-naval officer, implicated in a Tehelka expose. He is also the grandson of an ex-Chief of Naval Staff-turned businessman, S. M. Nanda from New Delhi...
was acquitted in a lower court after allegations of bribery of the sole-surviving witness, who changed his testimony in court to say that he was no longer sure what hit them, and that it could have been a truck.
Death
Admiral Nanda died in New DelhiNew Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
on 11 May 2009 at the age of 93. His funeral was marked with full military honours
Military funeral
A military funeral is a specially orchestrated funeral given by a country's military for a soldier, sailor, marine or airman who died in battle, a veteran, or other prominent military figures or heads of state. A military funeral may feature guards of honor, the firing of volley shots as a salute,...
, but not as well attended as his naval career mandated due to the involvement of his family in controversial cases.