Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas.
Credit: Facebook/@Madhu Bhushan
Mumbai: Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas (Retd), former Indian Navy chief, who had played a heroic role during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War and post-retirement emerged as a leading peace activist and took up the cause of nuclear disarmament, passed away on Friday. He was 91.
Adm L Ramdas was Chief of Naval Staff for around three years from 1 December 1990-30 September 1993.
For his efforts to demilitarise and denuclearize South Asia, Admiral Ramdas, who was associated with the Pakistan-India Peoples' Forum for Peace and Democracy, was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for peace in 2004.
Adm Ramdas passed away in the Military Hospital in Secunderabad in Telangana following old age issues.
Adm Ramdas is survived by Lalita Ramdas and their three daughters and grandchildren.
Lalita is daughter of Admiral Ram Dass Katari (Retd), the third Chief of Naval Staff and the first Indian to occupy the top post after Independence.
The couple, who stayed in Alibaug in the Raigad district, were popularly known as Ramu and Lolly - and they had taken up several social causes.
“Disturbed to know the passing away of Admiral Ramdas this morning. He was totally dedicated to peace, democracy and secularism. I have fond memories of working with him. Admiral Saab, peace lovers will miss you most,” said veteran Mumbai-based peace activist, journalist and writer Jatin Desai.
The Indian Navy in a post on X, said: “During his illustrious career spanning over 40 years, the Admiral held several important appointments such as Commanding Officer INS Beas during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, Controller Warship Production and Acquisition, Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, FOC-in-C (South) and FOC-in-C (East), and rose to the helm as the 13th CNS of the Indian Navy on 01 Dec 1990.”
The Mumbai-born Adm Ramdas became a cadet at India's Armed Forces Academy in Dehradun and, later, the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, England and was commissioned to the Indian Navy 1 September 1953.
He was promoted as a Commander on 30 June 1969, he went on to establish and head the Naval Academy in Kochi in Kerala.
During the 1971 war, he was part of the Eastern Fleet and commanded INS Beas, a frigate. Admiral Ramdas took part in the most effective naval blockade of East Pakistan which frustrated Pakistan's attempt to evacuate 93,000 of their troops who eventually surrendered to the Indian forces.
His Vir Chakra citation reads: “….throughout the period of operations, he was called upon to operate within enemy waters, where there was constant danger to his ship from enemy mines and submarines. Undeterred, he carried out continuous probes into the enemy defended harbours in Bangladesh and inflicted heavy damage on the enemy. During one of the sorties, an enemy submarine was sighted close to his ship. He attacked the submarine repeatedly, which was presumably destroyed.”
He was part of the anti-corruption movement and joined the Aam Aadmi Party, however, owing to differences with the AAP leadership, he was removed.
In November, 2022, Adm Ramdas and Lolly, joined Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Telangana.