S. H. Sarma
Died | 3 January 2022 Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India | (aged 99)
---|---|
Allegiance | British Raj India |
Service/ | Royal Indian Navy Indian Navy |
Years of service | 1942–1978 |
Rank |
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 |
Awards | Param Vishisht Seva Medal |
Early life
Sarma was born on 1 December 1922, in the then Bihar and Orissa Province, in a large well-to-do family, the eldest of nine children. His father, Narsinga Panda, was a sub-registrar in the Bihar and Orissa Province government. He spent the first ten years with his uncle and aunt who did not have children, before moving to his parents, in 1932.[1]
The Indian Mercantile Marine Training Ship (IMMTS) Dufferin was established in 1927 to train young men for India's marine service.[2] In mid-1936, Sarma appeared for the all-India competitive examination in Calcutta. Successful in the examination, he sat for the interview in Bombay later that year.[3]
Dufferin and Mercantile marine
Sarma joined the Dufferin in January 1937. A good student, he was awarded the Viceroy's gold medal for the best all-round cadet,
World War II
On 16 December 1942, as soon as he turned twenty, Sarma joined the Royal Indian Naval Reserve (RINR), and was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant.[8] After a short training, in April 1943, he was posted to the auxiliary patrol vessel HMIS Rukmavati as its navigating officer. The ship sailed from Bombay to Calcutta and then to Cox's Bazar, patrolling the coast.[9] In August that year, he was transferred to the Bangor-class minesweeper HMIS Kumaon (J164). She was assigned to escort duties and minesweeping operations between Bombay and the Persian Gulf. On 1 June 1944, Sarma was promoted to temporary lieutenant[10]
After
In early 1946, Sarma was given his first command – a MMS-class minesweeper MMS 154. He was in command of the vessel during the Royal Indian Navy mutiny.[13] In August that year, he was transferred to the Bangor-class minesweeper HMIS Rajputana (J197) which was part of the 37th minesweeping flotilla and performed minesweeping operations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.[14]
Post-Independence
Immediately after the
In early 1951, he was transferred to the
Sarma was promoted to substantive lieutenant-commander on 1 June 1953.
In June 1959, after eighteen months in command of the Khukri, Sarma was appointed Commander (executive officer) of the new
In mid-1965, Sarma was posted as the Chief of Staff Southern Naval Area, and in February 1966, took over as the commanding officer of the largest training establishment of the Indian Navy,
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was sparked by the
In September 1971, Sarma was summoned by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral S M Nanda who told him that he was to move to Visakhapatnam and take up command of the yet-to-be-formed Eastern Fleet.[36] The two-fleet concept of the Navy came into force with the constitution of the Eastern Fleet on 1 November 1971. Rear Admiral Sarma took over as the Founding Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF).[37]
In mid 1971, The aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, along with the frigates INS Brahmaputra and INS Beas were moved from the Western Fleet to the Eastern Naval Command.[38] Thus, INS Vikrant became the flagship of the Eastern Fleet.
According to Sarma, the tasks of the Eastern Fleet were:
- To seek and destroy enemy naval units at sea
- To destroy his bases so that enemy naval units could not get shore support
- To establish a blockade off the East Pakistani coast
- To establish contraband control [39]
The Eastern Fleet effectively blockaded the ports of East Pakistan. Alizé and Hawker Sea Hawk aircraft from the INS Vikrant and the ships of the fleet bombarded Chittagong and Cox's Bazar.[40] The air strikes of Vikrant resulted in the sinking or rendering useless 11 merchant ships totalling 56,914 tons.[41] The Eastern Fleet also enforced contraband control until tasked with an amphibious landing to cut off the land escape routes into Burma.[42] After the surrender of Pakistan, in early 1972, Sarma led the fleet's minesweeping operations to make the Port of Chittagong operational.
For his command of the Eastern Fleet in the
CITATION
CAPTAIN (ACTING REAR ADMIRAL) SREE HARILAL SARMA
Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet
Acting Rear Admiral S H Sarma, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, the operational commander of all Indian naval forces in the Eastern Sector was responsible for safe-guarding the whole of Eastern seaboard from enemy attacks, to ensure complete blockade of the enemy held ports in Bangladesh. The officer conducted these operations with exemplary vigour, single mindedness of purpose and meticulous attention which resulted in the systematic disintegration and decimation of Pakistani Naval forces in the East and assured complete safety to the Indian Merchant shipping in the area. The Carrier borne forces under his command continuously attacked heavily defended enemy ports, inland waterways and hinterland causing serious damage to vital installations and seriously impairing the enemy's ability to continue to fight. He has displayed outstanding leadership and ability in the conduct of his duties as Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet.
Post-war
After commanding the Eastern Fleet for about two years, Sarma was appointed Director General Naval Dockyard Expansion Scheme (DG-NDES) in 1973, taking over from Rear Admiral P. S. Mahindroo. He was promoted to substantive rear admiral on 1 March of the same year.[45] He then served as the Flag Officer Commanding Southern Naval Area from 1973 to 1975. On 7 January 1975,[46] he was promoted to vice admiral and took over as the Commandant of the National Defence College on 8 January 1975. After a two-year stint as Commandant NDC, he took over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command.[47]
After commanding the Eastern Naval Command for a year, Sarma retired on 2 February 1978.[48]
Later life, death and legacy
Post-retirement, Sarma wrote his autobiography, My Years at Sea, which he released in book format in 2017.[49] [50][51] On 14 January 2020, he was present at Odisha's fourth annual Armed Forces Veterans' Day and Ex-Servicemen Sammelan, during which he presented Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik with a bouquet.[52] On 18 December 2020, Sarma was felicitated by eminent citizens of Odisha for his role in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.[53] To inaugurate the "Swarnim Vijay Varsh" 50th anniversary commemoration of the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, four "victory flames" were lit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the eternal flame at the National War Memorial on 16 December 2020. These victory flames were despatched to the four cardinal directions of the country, with one flame being sent to Sarma's home in recognition of his service.[54]
On 13 December 2021, Sarma travelled to Delhi, where he laid a wreath at the National War Memorial on behalf of the Indian Navy, and also wrote a message in the electronic visitors' book there. On 14 December, he and other veterans were felicitated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the New Delhi Cantonment.[54] On 16 December, Sarma was honoured by Chief of the Naval Staff R. Hari Kumar and other senior naval officers for his service as the first Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet and for his crucial role in the 1971 naval war.[54]
Sarma returned to Bhubaneswar on 17 December,[54] where from 22 December he was hospitalized in critical condition.[55][56] He died on 3 January 2022, at the age of 99.[57] On the first anniversary of his death, the Odisha Chapter of the Navy Foundation instituted the VAdm SH Sarma Memorial Seminar.[58]
See also
- Eastern Fleet
- Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet
- Eastern Naval Command
- Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
References
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 1-4.
- ^ Katari 1983.
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 5-6.
- ^ "Rear Admiral Sree Harilal Sarma" (PDF).
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 10.
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 9-10.
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 13-16.
- ^ a b "ADMIRAL SARMA TO HEAD EASTERN NAVAL COMMAND" (PDF).
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 21.
- ^ The Navy List: July 1945 (Part II). HM Stationery Office. 1945. p. 2107.
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 34-35.
- ^ Thomas 2019, p. 59.
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 39-40.
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 41.
- ^ Sarma 2001, pp. 50–51.
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 46.
- ^ "HALF YEARLY PROMOTIONS IN THE INDIAN NAVY" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 28 December 1951.
- ^ Nanda 2004, pp. 78–81.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 22 August 1953. p. 194.
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 69.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 29 November 1958. p. 268.
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 80.
- ^ Singh 1992, p. 84.
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 90.
- ^ "Rear Admiral Sree Harilal Sarma" (PDF).
- ^ Hobbs 2014, p. 203.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 6 February 1965. p. 81.
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. xi.
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 107.
- ^ "26 SENIOR OFFICERS TO ATTEND NATIONAL DEFENCE COLLEGE COURSE" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 26 August 1967.
- ^ "Sainik Samachar". Director of Public Relations, Ministry of Defence. 1970.
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 136.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 26 June 1971. p. 746.
- ^ "National Defence College". National Defence College.
- ^ "Indo-Pakistani War of 1971". Global Security. 27 November 2016. Archived from the original on 26 November 2016.
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 151.
- ^ "NAVYs EASTERN FLEET FORMED ADMIRAL SARMA PLACED IN COMMAND" (PDF).
- ^ Krishnan 2014.
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 159-160.
- ^ Sarma 2001, p. 154.
- ^ Krishnan 2014, p. 64.
- ^ Hiranandani 2010.
- ^ "RASHTRAPATHI BHAVAN CIRCULAR" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 26 January 1972.
- ^ "PRESIDENT'S SECRETARIAT" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 6 January 1972.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 30 June 1973. p. 724.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 31 January 1976. p. 125.
- ^ "ADMIRAL SARMA TO HEAD EASTERN NAVAL COMMAND" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 8 March 1977.
- ^ "ADMIRAL SCHUNKER TO HEAD EASTERN NAVAL COMMAND" (PDF).
- ^ "Autobiography released". The New Indian Express. 8 May 2017.
- ^ Sarma 2001.
- ^ "'My years at sea': Sarma's autobiography released". The Pioneer.
- ^ Chandan Das, Snigdha (14 January 2020). "4th Armed Forces Veterans' Day Celebrated In Bhubaneswar". Ommcom News. Archived from the original on 23 February 2020.
- ^ "Vice Admiral S. H. Sarma felicitated by eminent citizens on Vijay Divas". Odisha Diary. 19 December 2020.
- ^ a b c d "Swarnim Vijay Varsh: Vice Admiral SH Sarma, Veteran Of Three Wars Honoured In New Delhi". OdishaBytes. 17 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
- ^ "Veteran Of Three Wars, Vice Admiral SH Sarma Hospitalised In Odisha Capital". OdishaBytes. 17 December 2021. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
- ^ Dhir, Anil (24 December 2021). "Vice Admiral S. H. Sarma Critical, Veteran on Life Support at City Hospital". Odisha Barta. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
- ^ "Vice Admiral SH Sarma from Odisha no more". Sambad. 3 January 2022.
- ^ "Inaugural VAdm SH Sarma Memorial Seminar | Indian Navy". indiannavy.nic.in. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
Bibliography
- Hiranandani, G M (2010), Transition to guardianship: the Indian navy 1991-2000, Lancer Publishers, ISBN 978-1935501268
- Hobbs, David (2014), British Aircraft Carriers: Design, Development & Service Histories, Seaforth Publishing, ISBN 978-1-4738-5369-0
- Katari, Ram Dass (1983), A Sailor Remembers, Vikas, ISBN 9780706920642
- Krishnan, Arjun (2014), A Sailor's story, Punya Publications, ISBN 978-8189534141
- Nanda, S.M. (2004), The man who bombed Karachi, HarperCollins Publishers India, ISBN 978-8172235628
- Sarma, S H (2001), My years at sea, Lancer Publishers & Distributors, ISBN 978-8170621218
- Singh, Satyindra (1992), Blueprint to bluewater, the Indian Navy, 1951-65, Lancer International, ISBN 978-8170621485
- Thomas, Anup (2019), Pride & Honour- Biography of Admiral R.L. Pereira, PVSM, AVSM, Southern Naval Command, Indian Navy, ISBN 978-8193600115