Manohar Prahlad Awati facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vice Admiral
M P Awati
PVSM, VrC
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| Native name |
मनोहर प्रह्लाद अवटी
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| Nickname(s) | Manu |
| Born | 7 September 1927 Surat, India |
| Died | 3 November 2018 (aged 91) Phaltan, Satara, India |
| Allegiance |  British India India |
| Service/ |
 Royal Indian Navy Indian Navy |
| Years of service | 1945 - 1983 |
| Rank |  Vice Admiral |
| Service number | 00037-H |
| Commands held |
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| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
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Vice Admiral Manohar Prahlad Awati (born September 7, 1927 – died November 4, 2018) was a very important officer in the Indian Navy. He was known for his bravery and leadership. He was also called the "Father of the Indian Navy's Circumnavigation Adventures" because he inspired sailors to travel around the world.
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, he was given the Vir Chakra award. This is a high honor for showing great courage. He earned it for leading his ship, the INS Kamorta (P77), which was an anti-submarine warship.
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Awati was born in Surat, India, into a family of smart people. His father was a famous zoologist, someone who studies animals. In 1945, young Awati joined a training ship called Dufferin. He did very well in his studies and was chosen to become an officer in the Royal Indian Navy.
A Career at Sea
Training and Early Missions
Awati continued his training at the Britannia Royal Naval College in England in 1946. He was excellent at navigation and seamanship. After his training, he chose to specialize in signals and communications, which is about how ships talk to each other.
A special moment in his early career happened on May 27, 1950. He was a young officer when the President of India, Rajendra Prasad, officially changed the name of the Royal Indian Navy to the Indian Navy. Awati was there to receive the new flag. He later served on the destroyer ship INS Ranjit (1942).
In 1957, Awati became the signals and communications officer for the new ship INS Mysore (C60). This ship was a cruiser, a large warship, that had been modernized in England. He was promoted to lieutenant commander in 1958.
Later, he became a commander in 1962. He commanded several ships, including the training ship INS Tir, the destroyer INS Ranjit, and the anti-submarine ship INS Kamorta. By 1969, he was promoted to captain.
Bravery in the 1971 War
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 started because of a conflict in what was then East Pakistan. People there wanted their own country, which is now Bangladesh. When the Pakistani army tried to stop them, many people fled to India. India decided to help create the new nation of Bangladesh.
During this war, Captain Awati was in charge of a group of patrol ships, and his main ship was the INS Kamorta (P77). He led his ships into enemy waters, even though it was very dangerous because of mines and submarines. He bravely attacked enemy harbors in Bangladesh and caused a lot of damage.
He also stopped and captured three enemy ships that were carrying illegal goods. He even found an enemy submarine and attacked it strongly, which might have destroyed or damaged it. For his amazing courage, leadership, and dedication, Captain Awati was awarded the Vir Chakra.
After the War and High Ranks
After the war, Awati was put in charge of the navy in Goa in 1972. He also helped start the Goa Yachting Association. He then took command of the INS Mysore (C60) again in 1973, where he helped solve problems among the crew.
In 1975, he went to study at the Royal College of Defence Studies in the United Kingdom. When he returned to India, he was promoted to Rear Admiral. He became the leader of the National Defence Academy, which trains future officers.
Later, he became the Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet, leading a large group of naval ships. During this time, in 1978, he helped create the Maritime History Society of India. Finally, he was promoted to Vice Admiral and became the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, one of the highest positions in the Indian Navy.
Life After Retirement
After retiring from the navy, Vice Admiral Awati became a big supporter of nature. He even created a small forest in his home village. He wrote three books about nature and wildlife, including The Vanishing Indian Tiger.
He also came up with the idea for the "Sagar Parikrama" project in 2007. This project encouraged Indian sailors to travel solo around the world in sailboats built in India. This led to the creation of special training sailboats like INSV Mhadei and INSV Tarini.
- In 2010, Commander Dilip Donde became the first Indian to sail solo around the world.
- Commander Abhilash Tomy followed, becoming the first Indian and second Asian to sail non-stop around the world by himself.
- The project also led to the first-ever all-woman sailing trip around the world, called the Navika Sagar Parikrama, completed in 2018 by six female officers of the Indian Navy.
In 2015, Awati gave a special revolver to the NDA. This revolver was given to him by Pakistani Navy officers when they surrendered during the 1971 War.
Vice Admiral Awati passed away on November 3, 2018, at his home in Maharashtra, India.
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