Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani

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Nausena Medal
Other workMember, UPSC 1989–1995
Official Historian, Indian Navy 1995–2009;
Author, Transition to Triumph
Author, Transition to Eminence
Author, Transition to Guardianship

Indo-Pakistan War of 1971
.

Hiranandani is also credited with the detailed planning of the

Ezhimala and INS Kadamba in Karwar
, the foundation stones for which were laid during his tenure as flag Officer Commanding in Chief Southern Naval Command. During his tenure all Naval Training was centralized under the southern Naval Command. A brilliant tactician, his work remains pivotal to Indian naval training on maneuvers and operational tactics.

After retirement, Hiranandani served on the Union Public Service Commission. Later, he was appointed the Official Historian of the Indian Navy. He authored three landmark books on Indian naval history, Transition to Triumph, Transition to Eminence and Transition to Guardianship. These books covered the history of the Indian Navy from 1965 to 2000.

Service career

Hiranandani joined the Royal Indian Navy in 1949. He trained with the Royal Navy, between 1949 and 1953. He underwent specialized training in Gunnery and Missiles in 1957.[1] In 1965, he attended the Naval Staff College at Royal Naval College, Greenwich.[2] He held a Master's degree in Military Science and a doctorate in Political Science.

In 1961, he was appointed the Commandant of INS Dronacharya, and was promoted to commander on 30 June 1969.[3]

During the

Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, Hiranandani served as the Fleet Operations Officer of the Western Fleet. In this role, he led the detailed planning and logistics for key naval operations. He was awarded the Nau Sena Medal for his role in planning and implementing of Operation Trident and Operation Python.[4]

Hiranandani served as the Deputy Director Weapons policy & tactics (1968-1970) where he was instrumental in the acquisition of the Missile boats used in Operation Python & Operation Trident. He developed the tactics on how to deploy them in War. During his Tenure as Commanding officer INS TIR (1970-1971) he developed & tested methods of towing the short range missile boats from Vizag in Bombay in heavy seas during the monsoon of 1971. These techniques were then used to tow the missile boats near Karachi harbour to be used as Missile delivery Vehicles with devastating effect. He was appointed the Director of Combat Policy and Tactics (DCPT), serving from 1974 to 1977. He was a deep thinker and brilliant tactician. His work on naval strategy remains the basis for much of the tactical training and operational maneuvers of the Indian Navy. He was awarded the

Rajput class destroyers as its first Commanding Officer.[6]

Flag rank

Hiranandani was appointed the Chief of Staff of the

Vice Admiral on 30 June 1983,[8] he was appointed the Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff
the same year. During this time he laid the foundation for the Project 15 Class of Stealth Guided Missile destroyers. He worked in close co-ordination with the DRDO & Bharat Electricals to indigenously design the electronics and Missile systems required for our new Warships. He was instrumental in putting together a long ship building plan which gave The Indian Navy the capability to be self sufficient in building its own up to date warships and missiles.

In 1985, Hiranandani was appointed the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the

Ezhimala, Kerala. He was also involved in the planning of INS Kadamba in Karwar, Karnataka. He was instrumental in persuading the Chief Ministers of Kerala and Karnataka to transfer the land for these massive projects to the navy.[4] He was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal
(PVSM) for these contributions.

In 1987, he was appointed the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS).

1988 Maldives coup d'état attempt. He was the officiating CNS on 3rd November 1988 when the operation was launched as the CNS was out of the country. He was part of the apex level planning of the operation, in which several warships of the Indian Navy participated. Hiranandani retired from active service in the Indian Navy in 1989.[10]

Military offices
Preceded by Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
1987-1989
Succeeded by
S. C. Chopra
Preceded by
K. K. Nayyar
Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command

1984-1987
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Subimal Mookerjee
Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff
1983-1984
Succeeded by
S. Jain

Later contributions

After retirement from the Navy, Hiranandani served as a member of the Union Public Service Commission for six years between 1989 and 1995. He retired as the commission's Acting Chairman.

In 1995, he was appointed the Official Historian of the Indian Navy. He authored a trilogy on the history of the Indian Navy. Transition to Triumph covering the period between 1965 and 1975 was published in 1999.[11] Transition to Eminence captures naval history between 1976 and 1990 was published in 2004.[12] Transition to Guardianship covers the history of the navy between 1991 and 2000 and was completed just before his death. It was released on Navy Day, 4 December 2009.[citation needed]

Hiranandani also wrote a number of analytical reports on a maritime security and strategic issues.[13] and analysis reports.

Personal life

Hiranandani was married to Susheel Hiranandani. His son is a physician and his daughter, Meera Sanyal, was a banker and civil society activist.[4]

References

  1. ^ Hiranandani, Gulab Mohanlal (Spring 2002). "The Indian End of the Telescope: India and Its Navy". Naval War College Review. LV (2). Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  2. ^ "Hiranandani, Page 2". Dal Sabzi for the Aatman. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  3. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 17 January 1970. p. 88.
  4. ^ a b c "Vice-Admiral Hiranandani cremated with full Naval honours". The Hindu. 3 September 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  5. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 31 July 1976. p. 1059.
  6. ^ "Vice-Admiral G M Hiranandani passes away". Deccan Herald. 4 September 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  7. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 29 January 1983. p. 139.
  8. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 4 August 1984. p. 1306.
  9. ^ "NEW VICE CHIEF OF NAVY" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 28 November 1987. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  10. ^ "NEW VICE CHIEF TAKES OVER" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 28 February 1989. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  11. ^ Hiranandani, Gulab Mohanlal. Transition to Triumph: History of the Indian Navy 1965-75. Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 14 March 2007. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  12. ^ Hiranandani, Gulab Mohanlal. Transition to Eminence: History of the Indian Navy 1976-90. Indian Navy. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  13. ^ "Articles By Vice Adm (Retd) GM Hiranandani". Indian Defence Review. Retrieved 19 January 2012.