Sourendra Nath Kohli

Admiral Sourendra Nath Kohli, PVSM (21 June 1916 – 21 January 1997) was an Indian Navy admiral who served as the 9th Chief of the Naval Staff from 1 March 1973 until 29 February 1976.[5] 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 was responsible for the crippling attacks on the Pakistan Navy fleet in Karachi. His prior commands include those as the commanding officer of INS Mysore (C60) and INS Rana (D115).

Admiral Sourendra Nath Kohli PVSM
Born	(1916-06-21)21 June 1916 Amritsar, Punjab[1]
Died	21 January 1997(1997-01-21) (aged 80)[2]
Allegiance	British India (till 1947)  India (after 1947)
Service/branch	Royal Indian Navy (till 1947) Indian Navy (after 1947)
Years of service	1936–1976
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	Chief of the Naval Staff Western Naval Command Indian Fleet INS Mysore (C60) INS Rana (D115)
Battles/wars	World War II Liberation of Goa Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Awards	Padma Bhushan Param Vishist Seva Medal (PVSM)
Other work	Author, We dared[3] Author, Sea power and the Indian Ocean[4]

Early Life

Admiral Sourendra Nath Kohli was the son of Shri B.L. Kohli, and studied BA (Hons.) from St. Stephen's College, Delhi.[6]

Naval career

Kohli joined the Royal Indian Navy Volunteer Reserve as a cadet in May 1936, immediately after his graduation. He was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant in the RIN on 25 June 1938,[7] with promotion to lieutenant on 1 May 1941.[8]

During World War II, Kohli served in the Persian Gulf and in the Far Eastern theatre. He qualified as a Communication Specialist in the United Kingdom in 1943. He served on board HMS Queen Elizabeth (1913) in 1944-45.

He was promoted to acting Lieutenant Commander in 1946 and served at the then RIN Naval Headquarters, HMIS Dalhousie.

After independence, Kohli opted to join the Indian Navy and was one of the key officers selected to oversee the expansion of the naval fleet. He was deputed to the United Kingdom in December 1948 in connection with acquisition of destroyers and was appointed Commanding Officer of INS Rana (D115) on her purchase from the Royal Navy in 1949, receiving promotion to acting commander (substantive lieutenant-commander) on 30 June of that year.[9]

Other appointments that Kohli held included those as the Senior Officer of the flagship of the Indian Navy, INS Godavari (D92). Later, he also served as the Commanding Officer of the flagship, INS Mysore (C60). He was promoted to substantive commander on 30 June 1951,[10] and was promoted substantive captain on 30 June 1955.[11]

Kohli served as the superintendent of the Naval Dockyard in Bombay. He also twice served as the Director of Naval Plans. His staff appointments included those as Chief of Material and then as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff.

Kohli rose to flag rank in 1965 with promotion to substantive Rear Admiral on 18 August.[12] He was the Flag Officer Commanding of the Fleet from 1967 to 1969, and was promoted to Vice Admiral on 14 February 1969.[13] Next, Kohli served as the Commandant of the National Defence College for two years until 1971.

On 12 February 1971, Kohli was appointed the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-IN-C) of the Western Naval Command. During the war with Pakistan in December 1971, Kohli provided operational leadership for the devastating attacks on Karachi harbour. He also led the defence of Indian Naval facilities on the west coast. He was also responsible for overseeing the safety of the Indian mercantile fleet during the war.

On 1 March 1973, Kohli took over as the Chief of the Naval Staff.[14] He retired from the Navy on 29 February 1976.[5]

Awards

Kohli was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in January 1968. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan for his exceptional leadership during the 1971 war.[15]

Later life

Kohli authored We dared, a memoir of the Indian Navy operations during the war of 1971.[3] He is also the author of Sea Power and the Indian Ocean, an analysis of the geo-political and maritime concerns in the Indian Ocean region.[4]

Personal life

Admiral Kohli was married to the late Sumitra Kohli, and had three daughters.[1]

References

1. Service Chiefs of India. Google Books. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
2. http://www.hindu.com/revents/04/19970499.htm
3. We dared: Maritime operations in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Google Books. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
4. "Sea power and the Indian Ocean". National Defense University Library. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
5. "Admiral Sourendra Nath Kohli, Padma Bhushan, PVSM". Information Resource Facilitation Centre, Indian Navy. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
6. "Admiral Sourendra Nath Kohli". Bharat Rakshak.
7. The London Gazette, 14 October 1938
8. "The Royal Indian Navy". The Navy List: June 1944. HM Government, UK. 1944. p. 1965.
9. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 9 July 1949. p. 953.
10. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 14 July 1951. p. 133.
11. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 30 July 1955. p. 151.
12. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 20 August 1966. p. 491.
13. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 19 July 1969. p. 674.
14. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 30 June 1973. p. 724.
15. "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.

Military offices
Preceded by Sardarilal Mathradas Nanda	Chief of the Naval Staff 1973–1976	Succeeded by Jal Cursetji
Preceded by Office established	Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet 1968-1969	Succeeded by V. A. Kamath
Preceded by Sardarilal Mathradas Nanda	Flag Officer Commanding Indian Fleet 1967-1968	Succeeded by office abolished