Chennai: Former Chief of Army Staff General Sundararajan Padmanabhan, fondly referred to as “Paddy” in military circles, passed away at his Chennai residence due to age-related issues.He was regarded as one of India’s finest military leaders.
He was 83. General Padmanabhan is survived by his wife, daughter, and son. His children are expected to arrive from the US tonight. The funeral will be held tomorrow evening.
Who was General Sundararajan Padmanabhan?
He held the position of Chief of Army Staff from September 30, 2000, to December 31, 2002.
General Padmanabhan commanded an Independent Artillery Brigade and a Mountain Brigade before attending the esteemed National Defence College (NDC) course in Delhi. He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) for his distinguished service as the 15 Corps Commander.
Born in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on December 5, 1940, General Padmanabhan was an alumnus of the prestigious Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC), Dehra Dun, and the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla in Pune.
He was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery after graduating from the Indian Military Academy (IMA) on December 13, 1959. His illustrious career included several prestigious command, staff and instructional postings, besides having participated in numerous operations, a Defence release said.
A graduate of the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) at Wellington in 1973 and the National Defence College (NDC) in New Delhi, General Padmanabhan began his military career by commanding an Independent Light Battery from August 1975 to July 1976. He later led the Gazala Mountain Regiment, one of the oldest artillery regiments in the Indian Army, from September 1977 to March 1980. This mountain regiment is one of the oldest artillery regiments of the Indian Army and has participated in several wars.
He served as an Instructor in Gunnery at the School of Artillery in Deolali, was Brigade Major of an infantry brigade on its raising, and held the position of Colonel General Staff of a Mountain Division from January 1983 to May 1985, earning the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for his service. He also had two tenures as an instructor at the Indian Military Academy (IMA).
From December 1988 to February 1991, he commanded an Infantry Brigade in Ranchi, Bihar, and Punjab. He then became the General Officer Commanding of an Infantry Division in Punjab from March 1991 to August 1992.
General Padmanabhan served as Chief of Staff of 3 Corps from September 1992 to June 1993. After his promotion to Lieutenant General, he commanded the 15 Corps in Kashmir from July 1993 to February 1995. During his tenure, the Army achieved significant gains against militants in Kashmir and was able to scale down its operations.
Following this, he served as Director General Military Intelligence (DGMI) and then took over as the General Officer Commanding of the Northern Command at Udhampur on September 1, 1996. Before becoming Chief of Army Staff, he was the General Officer Commanding of the Southern Command. He retired on December 31, 2002, after over 43 years of distinguished service.
Tamil Nadu CM pays tribute
Paying his tributes, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said he was deeply saddened by the passing away of former Chief of Army Staff. “Deeply saddened by the passing away of former Chief of Army Staff, General S. Padmanabhan. His exemplary leadership and unwavering dedication to our nation's security will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time,” the CM said in a post on X.
Stalin conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi paid tributes to the mortal remains of the former Army Chief at his residence in Adyar.
(With PTI inputs)
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