Srinivas Kumar Sinha
Governor of Assam | |
---|---|
In office 1 September 1997 – 21 April 2003 | |
Chief Minister | Prafulla Kumar Mahanta Tarun Gogoi |
Preceded by | Lokanath Misra |
Succeeded by | Arvind Dave |
Vice Chief of the Army Staff (India) | |
In office 1 January 1983 – 1 June 1983 | |
Preceded by | A M Sethna |
Succeeded by | G S Rawat |
Personal details | |
Born | Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 | 7 January 1926
Service number | IC-1536[1] |
Awards | Param Vishisht Seva Medal |
Early life
Srinivas Kumar Sinha was born on 7 January 1926 in Patna, Bihar in a Kayastha family. He was the son of Mithilesh Kumar Sinha, IP, Inspector-general of police of the state of Bihar and the grandson of the first Indian Inspector General of India in the British Raj, Alakh Kumar Sinha.[3] He graduated with Honours from Patna University in 1943 at the age of 17 and joined the Indian Army soon thereafter. He was recognised as the Best Cadet of the Officers' Training School, Belgium, the war-time equivalent of the Sword of Honour. He was commissioned into Jat Regiment and after India gained independence, moved to the 5th Gorkha Rifles.[4][5] He was involved in combat during the Second World War in Burma and Indonesia and, after India became independent, in Kashmir. He served two tenures in Nagaland and Manipur, where he participated in counter-insurgency operations.
His son Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha ,a former diplomat, is serving as present Chief Information Commissioner.[6]
Military career
Gen Sinha was promoted to captain on 10 September 1951.
On 1 August 1978, Sinha was promoted to lieutenant-general. In July 1983, Eastern Army Commander A S Vaidya was appointed the Chief of Army Staff, despite Sinha's seniority. Following this, Sinha sought premature retirement from the Army in 1983.[9][10]
Vaidya was in charge when Operation Blue Star (the June 1984 storming of the Golden Temple) took place. Sinha remained in national focus after quitting the Army through his lectures on academic subjects in universities and articles in national newspapers.[11]
Later career
Ambassador to Nepal
In 1990, Sinha was appointed India's ambassador to Nepal when autocratic rule prevailed in that country and bilateral relations with India had hit their lowest in the wake of the trade and transit impasse of 1989. During his tenure in Nepal, India-Nepal relations improved. The Prime Minister of India stated that Sinha had played a major role in this development. The Prime Minister of Nepal wrote, "General Sinha was as much India's Ambassador to Nepal as Nepal's Ambassador to India".[11]
Governor of Assam
In 1997, Gen. Sinha was appointed
Governor of Jammu and Kashmir
On 4 June 2003, General Sinha became the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. In 2003, when he took over as Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, on average, ten people were killed every day and the annual arrival of tourists was a mere 28,000. Improved security brought down the daily rate of killing from ten to one. With an improved security situation, tourist arrivals increased from 28,000 a year to 600,000 by 2008, when he relinquished the appointment of Governor. The state also started installing 1000 micro hydro projects on the mountains.
He encouraged civic action with efforts to revive Kashmir's liberal Islamic traditions. He inaugurated seminars and conferences on Kashmiriyat at Srinagar, with scholars from Pakistan and several Central Asian states.
His term as governor to Kashmir ended on 25 June 2008.
Books
Sinha has written for national newspapers, and is the author of nine books including one on the Jammu and Kashmir Operation of 1947–48 (Operation Rescue)[5] and his autobiography, A Soldier Recalls.[14] His other books are of Matters Military, Pataliputra, Veer Kuer Singh, A Governor's Musings, Reminiscences and Reflections and Changing India, Guarding India's Integrity: A Pro-Active Governor Speaks. His last book Raj to Swaraj was finished just a few days before his death.[15]
Death
He died on 17 November 2016 at the age of 90 years. He was survived by his wife Premini Sinha, his son
References
- ^ a b "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 11 March 1967. p. 178.
- ^ "Former J&K; Governor Lt Gen Srinivas Kumar Sinha Passes Away". 17 November 2016. Archived from the original on 18 November 2016.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Lt Gen SK Sinha – Brown Pundits". www.brownpundits.com. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
- ^ Roychowdhury, Shankar (19 November 2016). "Tribute: The 'thinking man's soldier'". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
- ^ Roy, Amit (2 December 2018). "Slice of Patna in Sinha saga". Telegraph India. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 11 July 1953. p. 156.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 4 May 1974. p. 528.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 2 June 1979. p. 501.
- ISBN 9780195653168.
- ^ a b I. Ramamohan Rao (27 June 2008). "Where did General S.K. Sinha go wrong?". Cheers Magazine. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
- ^ "Business News: 'SKY' is not the limit for Assam's strife-hit economy". m.rediff.com. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
- ^ "Sinha adopts Punjab model". www.telegraphindia.com. 2 September 2002. Archived from the original on 31 May 2015.
- ^ Chibber, M. L. (30 November 1992). "Book review: A Soldier Recalls by Lt-Gen S.K. Sinha". India Today. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
- ^ Singh, Sushant (18 November 2016). "Lt Gen S K Sinha (1926-2016): The Lieutenant General who could not be Army chief". The Indian Express. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
- ^ "No, Kanye, That's Not How It Happened". UConn Today. 24 January 2019. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
Sinha's father, Lt.-Gen. Srinivas Kumar Sinha of the Indian Army
- ^ "President of India condoles the passing away of Lt. Gen. S.K. Sinha". Business Standard India. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
- ^ "J&K ex-Guv Lt Gen Sinha passes away". Tribune India. 17 November 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
- ^ "PM condoles death of former J&K Governor Lt Gen SK Sinha". The Indian Express. PTI. 17 November 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ "SK Sinha passes away". Daily Excelsior. 17 November 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2022.