Rustom K. S. Ghandhi
Vice Admiral Rustom 'Rusi' Khushro Shapur Ghandhi, PVSM, VrC (1 July 1924 – 23 December 2014)[2] was an Indian Navy Admiral.
Vice Admiral R K S Ghandhi | |
|---|---|
 Vice Admiral R K S Ghandhi | |
| 5th Governor of Himachal Pradesh | |
| In office 17 April 1986 – 15 February 1990 | |
| Preceded by | Prabodh Dinkarrao Desai (Additional charge) |
| Succeeded by | S. M. H. Burney (Additional charge) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 July 1924 Jabalpur, India |
| Died | 23 December 2014 (aged 90)[1] Mumbai, India |
| Awards |   |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  |
| Branch/service |  |
| Rank | _OF-8.svg.png){kind=small}  |
| Commands | Western Naval Command Western Fleet Eastern Fleet INS Mysore INS Khukri INS Betwa INS Kaveri |
| Battles/wars | Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Annexation of Goa |
Early life and education
Ghandhi was the son of Khushro Shapur Ghandhi and Dina Dhunji Shah Amroliwalah. He was born in 1924 in Jabalpur, India. He graduated from St. Joseph's College, Nainital, India, with an Intermediate Science degree in 1941. After a year of advanced studies at Allahabad University, he subsequently joined the Royal Navy with a permanent commission as an officer cadet on 1 January 1943.
Career
Rustom Ghandhi served with Lord Louis Mountbatten from 1947-1948, and was his Aide-de-camp when Mountbatten was the last Viceroy of India. Ghandhi was present with Mountbatten at Viceroy's House on 15 August 1947 when India's independence was declared.
His Navy career included:[3]
1957: Commanding Officer of INS Cauvery
1961: Commanding Officer of INS Betwa
1963: Assignment to the American Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island
1964: Promoted acting captain on 31 August.[4]
1965: Commanding Officer of INS Khukri
1966: Promoted substantive captain on 31 December.[5]
1968: Director of Naval Operations
1969: Commanding Officer of INS Mysore
1972: Naval Advisor to the India High Commission in London, U.K.
1974: Fleet Commander, Eastern Fleet
1975: Fleet Commander, Western Fleet
1977: Commander-in-Chief, Western Naval Command
1979: Retired with the rank of Vice Admiral of the Indian Navy
He remains the only officer to have commanded ships in all naval wars fought by India:
- the 1961 war to annex Goa as Commander of INS Betwa;
- the 1965 war with Pakistan as Commander of the 14th frigate squadron and Captain of the INS Khukri; and
- the 1971 war with Pakistan to create Bangladesh when he commanded the INS Mysore, the flagship of the Western Naval Fleet.
Vice Admiral Ghandhi played a decisive role in "Operation Vijay",[6] the 1961 annexation of Goa which ended 451 years of Portuguese rule. Ghandhi commanded the senior ship INS Betwa during the naval battle at Mormugão Harbour. His Portuguese adversary, Captain António da Cunha Aragão, was in command of the destroyer NRP Afonso de Albuquerque, which was anchored off Mormugão Harbour.
In the ensuing battle, the Afonso took a direct hit to its control tower, injuring its weapons officer, killing its radio officer and severely injuring its captain. Subsequently, the order was given to abandon ship, and the rest of the crew, along with their injured captain, disembarked directly onto the beach after setting fire to their ship. Following this, the captain was moved by car to the hospital at Panaji. The destroyer's crew surrendered formally along with the remaining Portuguese forces on 19 December 1961.
As a gesture of goodwill, the commanders of INS Betwa and INS Beas later visited Captain Aragao as he lay recuperating in bed at Panjim, and presented him with a gift of brandy, chocolates, and dried fruit, since it was just before Christmas. In return, Captain Aragão gave Commander Ghandhi the keys to his cabin as a token of surrender. Commander Ghandhi also sent messages via England to inform Portugal that Captain Aragão was well.
Vice Admiral Ghandhi was awarded the Vir Chakra for conspicuous gallantry for his role in the 1971 war with Pakistan.
Post-retirement
Upon retirement from the Indian Navy, Vice Admiral Ghandhi enjoyed a short stint as technical consultant for the motion picture The Sea Wolves,[7] and played a cameo role as the Governor of Goa in it.[8] He was appointed Chairman of the Shipping Corporation of India in 1981 and served in that capacity until 1986.
From April 1986 to February 1990, while Rajiv Gandhi was Prime Minister of India, Vice Admiral Ghandhi served as Governor of the State of Himachal Pradesh, residing with Mrs. Ghandhi at Raj Bhavan in Shimla. During this period, Vice Admiral Ghandhi was awarded the Param Visishti Seva Medal PVSM for meritorious service of the highest order. In addition to governmental duties, Vice Admiral and Mrs. Ghandhi made many improvements to Raj Bhavan, including a complete restoration of the billiard room and the Durbar Hall, as well as the construction of a gazebo on the premises. Following his governorship, Vice Admiral Ghandhi served as a Member of the National Commission for Minorities from 1993 to 1996.
Personal life
He was married to Khorshed "Bubbles" Kharegat (deceased 2011), daughter of Sir Peroz and Lady Kharegat, née Dadabhoy, on 1 January 1949, and had three children, Sandy, Yasmine and Delna. He was the oldest of five brothers, the others being Dhun, Sorab, Burz and Jamshed.
Death
Admiral Ghandhi died peacefully in his home in Navy Nagar of Colaba, Mumbai on 23 December 2014, aged 90,[9] and was buried in the Arabian Sea on 27 December 2014 from INS Vipul.
References
- http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/former-himachal-governor-gandhi-dead-114122400569_1.html
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11368284/Vice-Admiral-Rustom-Ghandhi-obituary.html
- Personal Communication, provided by Commodore Satish Ghormade, Director of Naval Personnel, Naval Headquarters, New Delhi., at the request of Adm. Vishnu Bhagwat, Former Chief of Naval Staff (2012).
- "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 28 November 1964. p. 488.
- "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 25 March 1967. p. 215.
- "Jawaharlal Nehru: A Biography", Sankar Ghose. Allied, Mumbai (1993).
- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2382606/
- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0304163/
- http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/former-himachal-governor-gandhi-dead-114122400569_1.html
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ronald Lynsdale Pereira |
Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command 1977–1979 |
Succeeded by V E C Barboza |
| Preceded by N P Dutta |
Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet 1975-1976 |
Succeeded by M R Schunker |
| Preceded by Ronald Lynsdale Pereira |
Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet 1974–1975 |
Succeeded by V E C Barboza |