Sunith Francis Rodrigues
Encyclopedia
Gen. Sunith Francis Rodrigues, PVSM, VSM, formerly Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army. Born on 19 September 1933 in Bombay. Over the years as Governor, in Punjab, he has generally received a positive response by the Punjabi press (India) and the Punjabi people
have accepted him as one their own due to his strong campaigning of Punjabi interests in India.
in 1949 and was commissioned in December 1952 into Regiment of Artillery
.
He attended the Defence Services Staff College and took overas GSOI operations in a corps Hq in 1971.
In 1972, after the war with Pakistan
, he was awarded the VSM for distinguished service. He later served as a GSOI operations of a division from 1973 to 1975.
He commanded a mountain brigade in a high altitude sector from 1975 to 1977 then attended the 1978 course at Royal College of Defence Studies
in the UK. He was Chief Instructor at Defence Services Staff College from 1979 to November 1981, then took over the command of a division in a high altitude area. In 1982, he was awarded the Masters Degree in Defence Studies, was the Chief of Staff of a Corps from 1983 to September 1985 then took over as Director General Military Training.
He was GOC of A corps in the Northern Sector in 1986. He was Vice Chief of Army Staff from November 1987 to April 1989 and then GOC-in-C of Central Command from April 1989 to October 1989 then tool over Western Command from 1 November 1989 to 30 June 1990 then was the Chief of Army Staff from 1990 to 1993. He retired on 30 June 1993 after putting in nearly 41 years of dedicated service.
General Rodrigues was known among his compatriots as a thinker and a strategist.
for nearly six years. He served two terms on the National Security Advisory Board. Since his retirement, he has been engaged in social and literary pursuits and has also been delivering talks on strategic issues. He takes a keen interest in education and empowering children to achieve their potential. He was on the Executive Council of Goa University
for 7 years and on the Managing Committee of the Goa Chamber of Commerce. He is also a long standing Member of the Goa Planning Board and on the Board of Governors of the Goa Institute of Management.
and Administrator, Union Territory
, Chandigarh
on 8 November 2004 and he was sworn in to the office on 16 November 2004.
He was succeeded by Shiv Raj Patil on 22 January 2010.
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
have accepted him as one their own due to his strong campaigning of Punjabi interests in India.
Military service
He joined the joint Services Wing of the Indian Military AcademyIndian Military Academy
The Indian Military Academy, Dehradun is the officer training school of the Indian Army. IMA was established in 1932.-Demands for an Indian military training academy:...
in 1949 and was commissioned in December 1952 into Regiment of Artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
.
He attended the Defence Services Staff College and took overas GSOI operations in a corps Hq in 1971.
In 1972, after the war with Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, he was awarded the VSM for distinguished service. He later served as a GSOI operations of a division from 1973 to 1975.
He commanded a mountain brigade in a high altitude sector from 1975 to 1977 then attended the 1978 course at Royal College of Defence Studies
Royal College of Defence Studies
The Royal College of Defence Studies is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom...
in the UK. He was Chief Instructor at Defence Services Staff College from 1979 to November 1981, then took over the command of a division in a high altitude area. In 1982, he was awarded the Masters Degree in Defence Studies, was the Chief of Staff of a Corps from 1983 to September 1985 then took over as Director General Military Training.
He was GOC of A corps in the Northern Sector in 1986. He was Vice Chief of Army Staff from November 1987 to April 1989 and then GOC-in-C of Central Command from April 1989 to October 1989 then tool over Western Command from 1 November 1989 to 30 June 1990 then was the Chief of Army Staff from 1990 to 1993. He retired on 30 June 1993 after putting in nearly 41 years of dedicated service.
General Rodrigues was known among his compatriots as a thinker and a strategist.
Public service
After his retirement he was Director of the International Centre, GoaGoa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
for nearly six years. He served two terms on the National Security Advisory Board. Since his retirement, he has been engaged in social and literary pursuits and has also been delivering talks on strategic issues. He takes a keen interest in education and empowering children to achieve their potential. He was on the Executive Council of Goa University
Goa University
Goa University was established in 1985 and merged with the Centre for Post Graduate Instruction and Research of the University of Bombay that functioned at state-capital Panaji or Panjim. Goa University offers both graduate and post-graduate studies and research programmes...
for 7 years and on the Managing Committee of the Goa Chamber of Commerce. He is also a long standing Member of the Goa Planning Board and on the Board of Governors of the Goa Institute of Management.
Governor of Punjab
Gen. S.F. Rodrigues, PVSM, VSM was the 32nd Governor of Punjab. He was appointed Governor of PunjabPunjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
and Administrator, Union Territory
Union Territory
A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India, in the federal framework of governance. Unlike the states of India, which have their own elected governments, union territories are ruled directly by the federal government; the President of India appoints an Administrator or...
, Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
on 8 November 2004 and he was sworn in to the office on 16 November 2004.
He was succeeded by Shiv Raj Patil on 22 January 2010.