Allegiance British Raj India Role Military Officer Name Adhar Chatterji | Rank Admiral Years of service 1933–1970 | |
Commands held Chief of the Naval StaffFlag Officer Commanding (FOC), FleetCommander-in-Charge, Bombay CommandINS Delhi (1948) Battles/wars World War IILiberation of GoaIndo-Pakistani War of 1965 Education Presidency University, Kolkata Battles and wars World War II, Indian annexation of Portuguese India, Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 | ||
Adhar Kumar Chatterji (1914 – August 6, 2001) was the Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy from March 4, 1966, until February 28, 1970. He was the first Indian officer of the navy to hold the rank of full Admiral.
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Early life
He graduated from the Presidency College (as a graduating student of the University of Calcutta) in 1933. The same year he saw a notice at the college about the relaxation of entry criteria for the Royal Indian Navy. He applied and topped the entrance examination.
Naval career
Chatterji was one of the first Indian cadet-entry officers to join the Royal Indian Navy in 1933. After training on board TS Dufferin, he was sent to the United Kingdom. He was commissioned into the Royal Indian Navy as a sub-lieutenant on 1 September 1935, and was promoted to lieutenant three years later in 1938.
He qualified for anti-submarine warfare in 1940, and served in World War II on board various Royal Navy and Royal Indian Navy ships in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean zones. He also served as an instructor for crash courses in anti-submarine warfare at Royal Navy training establishments during the war.
In August 1947, Commander Chatterji completed the staff course in the United Kingdom and on his return, was appointed Director of Naval Planning at Naval Headquarters in New Delhi.
In June 1950, in the rank of Captain, he assumed command of the flagship of the Indian Navy INS Delhi (1948). He was the first Indian officer to command the cruiser.
Between November 1950 and January 1953, Chatterji was the Naval Adviser to the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom. He oversaw the training of hundreds naval cadets and junior officers in the UK.
Upon his return, he was appointed the Commander-in-Charge, Bombay, with the rank of commodore. The Bombay Command was the predecessor of the Western Naval Command. He held this appointment for two years.
Following the completion of a leadership course at the Imperial Defence College, Commodore Chatterji was appointed the Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff in February 1958. He was promoted to Rear Admiral in March 1959.
In May 1962, Chatterji took over as Flag Officer Commanding of the Indian Navy Fleet.
In January 1964, Chatterji was promoted to Vice Admiral and took over as the Commandant, National Defence College.
On March 4, 1966 Chatterji was appointed the seventh Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy. He was promoted to the rank of Admiral on 1 March 1968, the first Indian officer to hold the rank.
Admiral Chatterji retired from the Indian Navy on February 28, 1970.
Death
Admiral Chatterji died in New Delhi.