Sushil Kumar (admiral)

Admiral Sushil Kumar Isaac, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, NM (died 27 November 2019) was an Indian Navy Admiral who served as Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy. A native of Neyyoor (Nagercoil), he ceased to use his surname of Isaac because it caused confusion with his brother, who shares the same initials and is also a naval officer.[1]

Admiral Sushil Kumar Isaac PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, NM
Born	Neyyoor, (Nagercoil, Kanyakumari District, Tamilnadu), India
Died	New Delhi
Allegiance	India
Service/branch	Indian Navy
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	Southern Naval Command FORTAN
Battles/wars	Goa Liberation of 1961 Indo-Pakistan War of 1965 Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 Kargil War
Awards	Param Vishisht Seva Medal Uttam Yudh Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Nao Sena Medal

Background and career

Sushil Kumar assumed charge of the Indian Navy, as the 16th Chief of Naval Staff, on 30 December 1998. A specialist in hydrography and amphibious warfare,[2] he is also a qualified air warfare instructor. He participated in the 1961 invasion of Goa and in both the Indo-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971. As Director of Naval Operations, he was decorated with an Uttam Yudh Seva Medal for his exceptional conduct in Operation Pawan and in Operation Cactus (Liberation of Maldives). He was awarded the Naosena Medal for gallantry whilst in command of INS Ghorpad. He is an alumnus of the National Defence College and was an instructor at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. His training abroad includes a deputation to the Royal Navy on board HMS Dampier in 1963 and a course in amphibious warfare with the US Navy at Coronado, California, in 1976.[3]

Kumar has held operational commands and important posts such as the Vice-Chief of Naval Staff, the Flag Officer Maharashtra Area, Commander of the Flotilla in Mumbai and Fortress Commander, Andaman & Nicobar Islands. He was the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command in Kochi, before being appointed as the Chief of Naval Staff. During his tenure as CNS, He was the highest-decorated serving officer in the Indian Navy, and he retired on 29 December 2001. He is a keen yachtsman and has played polo on the international circuit, for which he has an international rating of 4+ goals.[3]

Death

Kumar died on 27 November 2019 at the Indian Army Research and Referral Hospital, Delhi at the age of 79. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences upon this.[4][5]

Awards and Decorations

Param Vishisht Seva Medal	Uttam Yudh Seva Medal	Ati Vishisht Seva Medal	Nausena Medal
General Service Medal	Poorvi Star	Paschimi Star	Special Service Medal
Raksha Medal	Sangram Medal	Sainya Seva Medal	Videsh Seva Medal
50th Anniversary of Independence Medal	25th Anniversary of Independence Medal		30 Years Long Service Medal
20 Years Long Service Medal		9 Years Long Service Medal

References

1. Sawant, Gaurav C. (6 January 1999). "Indian Express: Harinder's appointment will be reconsidered: CNS". Indian Express. Archived from the original on 23 September 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
2. "Admiral Sushil Kumar". Indian Navy Information Resource and Facilitation Centre. 21 February 2005. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
3. "Admiral Sushil Kumar". Bharat Rakshak. Archived from the original on 30 August 2009.
4. "PM condoles demise of former Navy chief Sushil Kumar". Press Trust of India. 27 November 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2019 – via The Week.
5. Delhi, Special Correspondent New (28 November 2019). "Former Navy Chief Admiral Sushil Kumar dead". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 3 December 2019.

Military offices
Preceded by Ved Prakash Malik	Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee 1 October 2000 – 29 December 2001	Succeeded by Sundararajan Padmanabhan
Preceded by Vishnu Bhagwat	Chief of the Naval Staff 1998–29 December 2001	Succeeded by Madhvendra Singh