Daya Shankar (admiral) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vice Admiral
Daya Shankar
PVSM, DSC
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|---|---|
| Born | 2 January 1912 |
| Died | 18 November 1993 (aged 81) New Delhi |
| Allegiance |  British India India |
| Service/ |
 Royal Indian Navy Indian Navy |
| Years of service | 1930-1964 |
| Rank |  Vice Admiral |
| Unit | HMIS Hindustan HMIS Lawrence HMIS Dalhousie HMIS Pathan |
| Commands held | INS Shivaji |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
| Awards | Param Vishisht Seva Medal Distinguished Service Cross |
Daya Shankar (born January 2, 1912 – died November 18, 1993) was a very important officer in the Indian Navy. He was an admiral and a skilled engineer. He was also the first person in the Indian Armed Forces to be in charge of something called 'Controller General Defence Production'. This meant he helped manage how India made its own defense equipment. He received special awards like the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and the Distinguished Service Cross.
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Daya Shankar was one of the first Indians to join the Royal Indian Marine in 1930. This was a big deal at the time! He became an engineer sub-lieutenant in the Royal Indian Navy on April 23, 1935. He later became a full engineer lieutenant on April 23, 1938.
In 1939, he was assigned to two ships: HMIS Dalhousie and HMIS Pathan. HMIS Dalhousie was a special ship used for training in Bombay (now Mumbai).
Serving in World War II
During the Second World War, Shankar served on the ship HMIS Lawrence. This was in November 1940. Another future admiral, Sourendra Nath Kohli, also served on this ship.
Daya Shankar showed great bravery during the war. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) on March 10, 1942. This award was for his "courage, enterprise and devotion to duty" during operations in the Persian Gulf. Not many Indian officers received this honor during the war.
Later, in December 1942, he was assigned to another ship, HMIS Hindustan. He continued to rise through the ranks, becoming an engineer lieutenant-commander in 1943.
After India Became Independent
After India gained independence in 1947, Daya Shankar continued his important work. He served at the main Naval Headquarters. In 1948, he was promoted to engineer commander.
In 1950, he became the second Indian officer to lead INS Shivaji. This is a special training center for engineers in the Indian Navy. He became a full engineer captain in 1951.
He then became the Industrial Manager at the Indian Naval Dockyard in Bombay. This meant he managed the naval shipyard. In 1954, he made history again. He became the first Indian officer to be named Chief of Material at Naval Headquarters. This role involves managing all the equipment and supplies for the Navy.
In 1956, his position was upgraded, and he became a commodore. This was a very high rank for an engineer officer. He was promoted to engineer rear-admiral in 1959. This made him the first naval engineering officer to reach such a high rank. He was then put in charge of Ordnance Factories, which make military weapons and equipment.
In 1960, he took on an even bigger role. He became the Controller-General Defence Production. He held this important job until he retired on August 20, 1964.
Later Years
After retiring, Daya Shankar lived in Delhi. In 1985, he was given the honorary rank of vice-admiral. He passed away in Delhi on November 18, 1993, at the age of 81. He was honored with a full military funeral. He is remembered for his dedication and for being a pioneer in the Indian Navy's engineering branch.
