Kasargod Patnashetti Gopal Rao

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Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

Operation Trident (1971)
Awards Maha Vir Chakra[1]
Vishisht Seva Medal

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his outstanding contributions during Operation Trident.[2]

Early life

Commodore K. P. Gopal Rao was born in a

Second World War
.

Military career

Commodore K. P. Gopal Rao was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 21 April 1950. In January 1971, he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service of a high order.

During the 1971 war, he was commander of two Arnala-class anti-submarine corvettes INS Kiltan and INS Katchall that were part of the task group that attacked Karachi Harbour on 4 December 1971 during Operation Trident. The two corvettes were tasked to provide communications and conduct target acquisition with their superior radar as well as give anti-submarine cover. Operation Trident was a huge success and resulted in sinking two Pakistani destroyers (

PNS Shah Jehan), one minesweeper (PNS Muhafiz), one cargo ship (MV Venus Challenger) and setting afire oil dumps and other installations.[4][5]
For his outstanding performance, he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest military decoration.

Personal life

Rao was married and had two sons and a daughter. He is from the Goud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) Community. He died on August 9, 2021, in the southern Indian city of Chennai. He was aged 94.[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaud_Saraswat_Brahmin

See also

References

  1. ^ "CDR KP GOPAL RAO MAHA VIR CHAKRA". Gallantry Awards, Ministry of Defence, Govt of India website.
  2. ^ Shivakumar, C. (9 August 2021). "Indian Navy war hero Commodore Gopal Rao who led Karachi Port attack in 1971 dies at 95". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Commodore Gopal Rao -- man who brought Pakistan to its knees in 1971 Indo-Pak war". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  4. ^ "The Veer Ahir who set Karachi ablaze". Hindustan Times. 23 June 2013.
  5. ISBN 9788170235163.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link
    )
  6. ^ "War hero who bombarded Karachi port in 1971 no more". The Indian Express. 9 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.


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