Adhar Kumar Chatterji facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Admiral
A K Chatterji
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Chatterji in Vice Admiral's insignia as Commandant, NDC.
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| 13th Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee | |
| In office 15 July 1969 – 24 February 1970 |
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| President | V. V. Giri Mohammad Hidayatullah |
| Prime Minister | Indira Gandhi |
| Preceded by | Arjan Singh |
| Succeeded by | Sam Manekshaw |
| 5th Chief of the Naval Staff (India) | |
| In office 3 March 1966 – 28 February 1970 |
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| President | Sir S. Radhakrishnan Zakir Husain V. V. Giri Mohammad Hidayatullah |
| Prime Minister | Gulzarilal Nanda (acting) Indira Gandhi |
| Preceded by | Bhaskar Sadashiv Soman |
| Succeeded by | Sardarilal Mathradas Nanda |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 November 1914 Dacca, Bengal Presidency, British India, present day Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Died | 6 August 2001 (aged 86) New Delhi, India |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  British India(1914–1947)  India(1947–1970) |
| Branch/service |  Royal Indian Navy(1933–1947)  Indian Navy(1947–1970) |
| Years of service | 1933–1970 |
| Rank |   Admiral |
| Commands | Chief of the Naval Staff Indian Fleet INS Delhi (1948) HMIS Kathiawar |
| Battles/wars | World War II Liberation of Goa Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 |
| Later work(s) | Indian Naval Adviser, High Commissioner of India to UK |
Admiral Adhar Kumar Chatterji (born November 22, 1914 – died August 6, 2001) was a very important officer in the Indian Navy. He served as the 6th Chief of the Naval Staff, which is the top job in the navy, from 1966 to 1970.
Admiral Chatterji was the first Indian officer to reach the highest rank of full Admiral. He is famous for making big changes that helped the Indian Navy become stronger and more modern. Under his leadership, the navy got its first submarine, the INS Kalvari (S23), in 1967. He also reorganized the navy by creating the Western and Eastern Naval Commands, and the Western Fleet.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Adhar Kumar Chatterji was born in Dacca (which is now Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh) on November 22, 1914. He went to Presidency College in Kolkata, India. He finished his studies there in 1933.
In the same year, he saw an advertisement about joining the Royal Indian Marine, which was the navy of British India. He applied for the entrance exam and did so well that he got the top score.
Early Career and Training
In 1933, Chatterji became one of the first Indian officers to join the Royal Indian Navy. He first trained on a ship called Dufferin in India. After that, he went to the United Kingdom for more training.
He officially became a sub-lieutenant on September 1, 1935. For the next four years, he trained on various ships. On September 1, 1938, he was promoted to lieutenant. In 1939, he was chosen to specialize in anti-submarine warfare (ASW), which means learning how to find and fight enemy submarines. He completed this special training in the UK in 1940.
World War II Service
During World War II, Chatterji served on several ships. In late 1940, he was assigned to HMIS Sutlej (U95). On January 1, 1942, he became the first officer to lead the anti-submarine warfare school in India. He also served on HMIS Jumna (U21).
On October 23, 1944, he was promoted to acting lieutenant-commander. He was then given command of HMIS Kathiawar (J155), a ship used for clearing mines. The Kathiawar was part of the Eastern Fleet. It helped protect many convoys (groups of ships traveling together) between Africa, British India, and Australia from 1943 to 1945. After this, he was put in charge of the radar school in Karachi. He became a full lieutenant-commander on September 1, 1946. In January 1947, he was chosen to attend a special course at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich in the UK.
After India's Independence
Important Leadership Roles
Chatterji returned to India in August 1947, just after India became independent. He was chosen to lead the Naval Planning department at the Naval Headquarters. Here, he helped write an important plan for the navy in 1948.
In February 1949, he became the Executive Officer of the flagship INS Delhi (C74). A flagship is the ship that carries the commander of a fleet. In June 1950, he was promoted to acting Captain and became the commanding officer of the Delhi. He was the first Indian officer to command this important ship.
From 1950 to 1952, Chatterji served as the Naval Adviser to the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom. In this role, he helped oversee the training of many Indian naval cadets and officers in the UK. He became a full captain on June 30, 1951.
In January 1953, he commanded the Delhi for a second time. In mid-1953, he led the INS Delhi, along with other Indian ships like INS Ranjit and INS Tir, to a huge naval review in Portsmouth, UK. This event celebrated the Coronation of Elizabeth II. Many navies from different countries took part.
Rising Through the Ranks
In November 1954, Chatterji was promoted to acting Commodore. He was only the fourth Indian naval officer to reach this rank. He was put in charge of the Bombay Command, which later became the Western Naval Command. He held this position for two years.
In 1957, he attended the Imperial Defence College (IDC) in the UK, a course for senior military leaders. After returning to India, he became the Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff on February 8, 1958.
On March 5, 1959, he was promoted to acting Rear Admiral, a two-star rank. He became a full Rear Admiral on March 5, 1960.
In May 1962, Chatterji took command of the Flag Officer Commanding Indian Fleet. The aircraft carrier INS Vikrant was the flagship of the fleet at this time. He led the fleet in joint naval and air exercises in the Arabian Sea. In 1963, he led the fleet on exercises and goodwill visits to countries like Malaya, Singapore, and Thailand. During this trip, his flagship, INS Mysore (C60), was the first Indian cruiser to visit Thailand.
In January 1964, Chatterji was promoted to acting Vice Admiral. He was then appointed the second Commandant of the National Defence College, becoming the first naval officer to hold this important position.
In November 1965, Admiral Chatterji was chosen to be the seventh Chief of the Naval Staff. He officially took over on March 4, 1966. He was confirmed as a Vice Admiral on November 22, 1966.
On March 1, 1968, he made history by becoming the first Indian officer to be promoted to the rank of full Admiral. Admiral Chatterji retired from the Indian Navy on February 28, 1970.
Death
Admiral Chatterji passed away in New Delhi on August 6, 2001.
Images for kids
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Chatterji in Vice Admiral's insignia as Commandant, NDC.
