Ram Dass Katari
Encyclopedia
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
. He led the Indian Navy in the conflict during the liberation of Goa against the Portuguese Navy
.
in Madras Presidency
on October 8, 1911. He spent most of his childhood and youth in Hyderabad. He was educated at Mahbub College High School
and at Nizam College
in Hyderabad.
At the start of World War II
, he was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant in the Royal Indian Navy Volunteer Reserve and served in surface fleets of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. He specialized in anti-submarine warfare
. Later, he also served as an instructor at the Anti-Submarine Warfare School.
At the end of the war, as a Lieutenant Commander, he was appointed the commanding officer of and led the mine clearance operations in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
At the independence of India, he held the rank of Commander and was the commanding officer of . He led the defense operations off the Kathiawar
coast during the integration of Junagadh. From July 1948 to early 1949, he was the Executive Officer on board the cruiser, , with Lieutenant Sardarilal Mathradas Nanda as his First Lieutenant
.
In December 1948, he was promoted to Captain. In February 1949, he was appointed the Chief of Personnel at Naval Headquarters (NHQ).
In December 1951, he was the commanding officer of the Indian Navy's Destroyer Squadron as well as the lead destroyer of the squadron, .
In 1953, he underwent a staff course at the Imperial Defence College. Upon his return in early 1954, he was appointed the Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (DCNS) and promoted to Commodore.
In March 1956, he was promoted to Rear Admiral. In October 1956, he became the first Indian officer to be appointed the Flag Officer Commanding of the Fleet.
On 22 April 1958, he became the first Indian officer to be appointed Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS). As CNS, he designed the framework for India's strategy for managing maritime security issues. During his tenure, the Indian Navy underwent a consolidation of its acquisitions, and established plans for its future growth. It also instituted improvements to training and operational effectiveness programs. India's first aircraft-carrier, INS Vikrant, was commissioned during his tenure.
As CNS, he led the naval operations during the liberation of Goa from Portuguese rule in December 1961.
He retired as CNS on 4 June 1962.
(APSRTC) between December 1962 and May 1964. In 1964 he was appointed India's Ambassador to Burma, where he served for over five years.
He also authored a memoir of the formative years of the Indian Navy during his service, A Sailor Remembers.
The Katari Memorial Hall at A/21, Sainikpuri
, near Secunderabad
, was dedicated to the memory of VADM Katari on the event of his birth centenary on October 8, 2011.
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...
Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an 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
Stephen Hope Carlill
Vice-Admiral Sir Stephen Hope Carlill, KBE, CB, DSO was a Royal Navy admiral who served as the last British Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy from 1955 to 1958, when he was succeeded by Vice-Admiral Ram Dass Katari.-Early Life and Career:Carlill was born in Orpington, Kent, the son of Harold...
. He led the Indian Navy in the conflict during the liberation of Goa against the Portuguese Navy
Portuguese Navy
The Portuguese Navy is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the military defence of Portugal....
.
Early life
Ram Dass Katari was born in ChingleputChingleput
Chingleput or Chengalpattu or Chengalpet is a city and a municipality in Kanchipuram district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The name of the city is derived from the old nomenclature 'chenkazhuneer patru'...
in Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
on October 8, 1911. He spent most of his childhood and youth in Hyderabad. He was educated at Mahbub College High School
Mahbub College High School
Mahbub College High School is a college located in Secunderabad a twin city of Hyderabad, India, It was established in 1862 by Somasundaram Mudaliar, with the name - Anglo Vernacular School. Sixth Nizam, Mir Mahbub Ali Khan made generous contribution and the school was renamed Mahbub College High...
and at Nizam College
Nizam College
Nizam College was established in 1887 during the reign of Nawab Mir Mahaboob Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VI, in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. It is located at Basheerbagh.-History:...
in Hyderabad.
Naval career
After graduation, Katari was in the first batch of Indian cadet-entry officers to join TS Dufferin on its establishment in 1927. He topped the entrance examination. He finished the course earning the Viceroy's Gold Medal. Later, he was the first graduate of TS Dufferin to serve on its Governing Board.At the start of 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...
, he was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant in the Royal Indian Navy Volunteer Reserve and served in surface fleets of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. He specialized in anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
. Later, he also served as an instructor at the Anti-Submarine Warfare School.
At the end of the war, as a Lieutenant Commander, he was appointed the commanding officer of and led the mine clearance operations in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
At the independence of India, he held the rank of Commander and was the commanding officer of . He led the defense operations off the Kathiawar
Kathiawar
Kathiawar or Kathiawad is a peninsula in western India, which is part of the Saurashtra region on the Arabian Sea coast of Gujarat state. It is bounded on the north by the great wetland of the Rann of Kutch, on the northwest by the Gulf of Kutch, on the west and south by the Arabian Sea, and on...
coast during the integration of Junagadh. From July 1948 to early 1949, he was the Executive Officer on board the cruiser, , with Lieutenant Sardarilal Mathradas Nanda as his 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...
.
In December 1948, he was promoted to Captain. In February 1949, he was appointed the Chief of Personnel at Naval Headquarters (NHQ).
In December 1951, he was the commanding officer of the Indian Navy's Destroyer Squadron as well as the lead destroyer of the squadron, .
In 1953, he underwent a staff course at the Imperial Defence College. Upon his return in early 1954, he was appointed the Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (DCNS) and promoted to Commodore.
In March 1956, he was promoted to Rear Admiral. In October 1956, he became the first Indian officer to be appointed the Flag Officer Commanding of the Fleet.
On 22 April 1958, he became the first Indian officer to be appointed Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS). As CNS, he designed the framework for India's strategy for managing maritime security issues. During his tenure, the Indian Navy underwent a consolidation of its acquisitions, and established plans for its future growth. It also instituted improvements to training and operational effectiveness programs. India's first aircraft-carrier, INS Vikrant, was commissioned during his tenure.
As CNS, he led the naval operations during the liberation of Goa from Portuguese rule in December 1961.
He retired as CNS on 4 June 1962.
Later career
Vice Admiral Katari served as the Chairman of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport CorporationAndhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation
Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation or APSRTC is the state owned road transport corporation in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is acknowledged as the single corporation having the largest fleet in the world...
(APSRTC) between December 1962 and May 1964. In 1964 he was appointed India's Ambassador to Burma, where he served for over five years.
He also authored a memoir of the formative years of the Indian Navy during his service, A Sailor Remembers.
Death
Vice Admiral Katari died in 1983.The Katari Memorial Hall at A/21, Sainikpuri
Sainikpuri
Sainikpuri lies to the northeast of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. It is a co-operative housing society for retired defence personnel. Sainikpuri actually started off as a housing society for Army officers, but now has houses which belong to other defence services as well as a few...
, near Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
, was dedicated to the memory of VADM Katari on the event of his birth centenary on October 8, 2011.