Indian Navy's former chief and Magsaysay Award winner Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas (Retd), who had played a heroic role during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War and crusaded for nuclear disarmament in South Asia, passed away on Friday.
Adm Ramdas, who was the Chief of Naval Staff for nearly three years from December 1, 1990 to September 30, 1993, died at 6.25 am at the Military Hospital in Secunderabad in Telangana, following old age issues.
He was 90 and is survived by Lalita Ramdas and their three daughters and grandchildren.
Lalita is the daughter of Admiral Ram Dass Katari (Retd), the third Chief of Naval Staff and the first Indian to occupy the top post after Independence
A leading peace activist who was known for his efforts to demilitarise and denuclearize South Asia, Admiral Ramdas was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for peace in 2004.
Adm Ramdas was associated with the Pakistan-India Peoples' Forum for Peace and Democracy.
Adm Ramdas and Lalita -- who stayed in Alibaug in the Raigad district of Maharashtra and were known popularly as Ramu and Lolly -- had taken up several social causes.
"During his illustrious career spanning over 40 years, the Admiral held several important appointments such as Commanding Officer INS Beas during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, Controller Warship Production and Acquisition, Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, FOC-in-C (South) and FOC-in-C (East), and rose to the helm as the 13th CNS of the Indian Navy on December 1, 1990,´the Indian Navy said in a post put out on X..
"Disturbed to know the passing away of Admiral Ramdas this morning. He was totally dedicated to peace, democracy and secularism. I have fond memories of working with him. Admiral Saab, peace lovers will miss you most," veteran Mumbai-based peace activist, journalist and writer Jatin Desai said.
Having become a cadet at India's Armed Forces Academy in Dehradun and, later, the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, England, the Mumbai-born Adm Ramdas was commissioned to the Indian Navy 1 September 1953.
Promoted as a Commander on June 30. 1969, Adm Ramdas went on to establish and head the Naval Academy in Kochi in Kerala.
