1. Vice Admiral Nilakanta Krishnan, PVSM, DSC, was a former flag officer in the Indian Navy.
50 Facts About Nilakanta Krishnan
1. 2.
Nilakanta Krishnan was the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War.
3.
Nilakanta Krishnan subsequently attended the Joint Services Staff College, Latimer and appointed Deputy Naval Advisor at High Commission of India in London.
4.
Nilakanta Krishnan subsequently served as the Director of Personnel Services at NHQ and Deputy Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat.
5.
Nilakanta Krishnan subsequently commanded the Western Naval Command and then the Eastern Naval Command.
6.
Nilakanta Krishnan was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award apart from the Param Vishisht Seva Medal.
7.
Nilakanta Krishnan was born into a Tamil Brahmin Iyer family based in Nagercoil.
8.
Nilakanta Krishnan was the youngest son of Rao Bahadur Mahadeva Nilakanta Ayyar, an Executive Engineer.
9.
Nilakanta Krishnan went on to serve as the Superintending engineer of Madras Presidency.
10.
In 1935, Nilakanta Krishnan was successful in the entrance examination and joined the Indian Mercantile Marine Training Ship Dufferin.
11.
Nilakanta Krishnan was one of the two cadets who were successful and joined the Royal Indian Navy - the other being Jal Cursetji.
12.
In 1939, Nilakanta Krishnan was serving on the Foxhound during the outbreak of World War II.
13.
Nilakanta Krishnan served on board the Suffolk when she participated in the Norwegian Campaign.
14.
Nilakanta Krishnan was promoted to the rank of Acting Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Indian Navy on 1 September 1940 and underwent training at Portsmouth.
15.
Nilakanta Krishnan served in the United Kingdom during the Battle of Britain.
16.
Nilakanta Krishnan was accompanied by the Yarra and the Investigator.
17.
Nilakanta Krishnan brought his ship alongside the gunboat and boarded it.
18.
Nilakanta Krishnan was the first recipient of the award in the Royal Indian Navy.
19.
Nilakanta Krishnan himself was engaged in a personal duel with the Captain of the enemy ship and proved himself to be the better shot.
20.
Nilakanta Krishnan was promoted to the rank of lieutenant on 16 August 1941.
21.
In late 1942, Nilakanta Krishnan was posted as an instructor at HMIS Bahadur, the Boys' training establishment at Karachi.
22.
Nilakanta Krishnan received the award from Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
23.
In late-1947, Nilakanta Krishnan was promoted to the acting rank of Lieutenant Commander and appointed Senior Officer Reserve Fleet.
24.
Nilakanta Krishnan was promoted to substantive Lieutenant Commander on 16 August 1949.
25.
Nilakanta Krishnan was selected to attend the Joint Services Staff College at Latimer, Buckinghamshire.
26.
In 1951, Nilakanta Krishnan returned to India was appointed Commander of the 31st Minesweeping Squadron.
27.
Nilakanta Krishnan was promoted to substantive commander on 30 June 1952.
28.
On 15 July 1955, Nilakanta Krishnan was appointed Director of Personnel Services at Naval HQ, with the acting rank of Captain.
29.
Nilakanta Krishnan was appointed Deputy Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat on 9 January 1956.
30.
Nilakanta Krishnan was the first Naval officer to serve in this appointment.
31.
Nilakanta Krishnan was promoted to the substantive rank of captain on 31 December 1957.
32.
Nilakanta Krishnan was in command of the Delhi for two-and-a-half years.
33.
In March 1960, the Delhi, under Nilakanta Krishnan was part of the fleet in the Joint Commonwealth exercises which was the largest till then, with the Royal Navy, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Ceylon Navy, Pakistan Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy and Royal Malaysian Navy participating.
34.
Nilakanta Krishnan sunk four ships off the harbour and sent a landing party to the citadel of the fortress and hoist the Indian Flag.
35.
Nilakanta Krishnan led the carrier in a commonwealth joint exercise off Singapore as well as on joint exercises with the Indian Army off the coast of Madras in August 1964.
36.
Nilakanta Krishnan was appointed Naval Advisor to the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom Jivraj Narayan Mehta at India House, London.
37.
On 12 December 1967, Nilakanta Krishnan was appointed Vice Chief of the Naval Staff with the acting rank of Rear Admiral.
38.
Nilakanta Krishnan was promoted to substantive Rear Admiral on 16 June 1968.
39.
On 26 March 1969, the post of VCNS was upgraded to the rank of Vice Admiral, with Nilakanta Krishnan being promoted to the acting rank from the same date.
40.
On 26 January 1970, Nilakanta Krishnan was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service of the most exceptional order.
41.
Nilakanta Krishnan was promoted to substantive Vice Admiral on 1 March 1970.
42.
Nilakanta Krishnan was present during the signing of the Pakistani Instrument of Surrender at the Ramna Race Course.
43.
Nilakanta Krishnan received the Naval surrender from the Flag Officer Commanding of the Eastern Naval Command of the Pakistan Navy, Rear Admiral Mohammad Shariff.
44.
Nilakanta Krishnan was to retire in 1973, but was given a two-year extension in service.
45.
Nilakanta Krishnan retired from the Indian Navy on 29 February 1976.
46.
Nilakanta Krishnan continued as the CMD of Cochin Shipyard Limited till 1979, when he retired.
47.
Nilakanta Krishnan married Sita, his cousin and childhood sweetheart, on 15 December 1943.
48.
Nilakanta Krishnan edited Krishnan's autobiography and released it in 2014.
49.
Nilakanta Krishnan wrote his autobiography titled A Sailor's Story, which was edited and released by his son Arjun.
50.
Nilakanta Krishnan died in his sleep at Hyderabad on 30 January 1982.