Jal Cursetji

Admiral Jal Cursetji, PVSM (20 May 1919 – 29 January 1991) was an Indian Navy admiral who served as the 10th Chief of the Naval Staff from 1 March 1976 until 28 February 1979.[3] Cursetji's prior commands included those as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-IN-C) of the Western Naval Command and the commanding officer of INS Vikrant (R11) and HMIS Bombay (J249). He also served as the Naval Attache to the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C. and as the Chief Hydrographer of the Indian Navy.

Admiral Jal Cursetji PVSM
Born	20 May 1919 Jabalpur, Jubbulpore Division, Central Provinces and Berar, British Raj (now Madhya Pradesh, India)[1]
Died	29 January 1991 (aged 71)
Allegiance	British India (1938-1947)  India (from 1947)
Service/branch	Royal Indian Navy (1938-1947) Indian Navy (1947-1979)
Years of service	1938–1979
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	Chief of the Naval Staff Western Naval Command INS Vikrant (R11) HMIS Bombay (J249)
Battles/wars	World War II Liberation of Goa Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Awards	Param Vishisht Seva Medal Legion of Merit[2]

Early life

Cursetji was born in 1919 in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh in a Parsi family. He attended the St. Aloysius Senior Secondary School in Jabalpur.

Naval career

Cursetji joined the Royal Indian Navy Volunteer Reserve as a cadet in January 1938. He was commissioned as an acting sub-lieutenant in the RIN on 1 April 1940, with confirmation as a sub-lieutenant on 1 September 1940 (dating from 1 April).[4][5] He qualified as a Hydrography Specialist in the United Kingdom, and was promoted to lieutenant on 1 October 1941.[6]

During World War II, Cursetji served in the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean. In 1944, he took over as the Commanding Officer of HMIS Bombay (J249).

After the independence of India, he opted to join the Indian Navy. He was the senior most Indian officer in the Hydrographic Survey branch, and took part in the coastal surveys of Burma, Malaya and Indonesia. He served as the Surveyor-in-Charge of the Marine Survey of India between 1950 and 1953. On 15 November 1955, he was promoted to acting captain and deputed as the Chief Hydrographer to the Government of India.[7][8]

On 5 November 1957, he took command of the 11th Destroyer Squadron as CO of INS Rajput,[9] and was promoted substantive captain on 31 December.[10] Between 1961 and 1965, Cursetji served as the Naval Attache in Washington, D.C. and Ottawa. Between 1966 and 1967, he was the Commanding Officer of INS Vikrant (R11).

He was promoted to acting Rear Admiral and took over as the Chief of Personnel at Naval Headquarters in December 1967. On 20 February 1970, he was promoted to acting Vice Admiral and took over as the Vice Chief of Naval Staff.[11] On 27 February 1973, he took over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-IN-C) of the Western Naval Command, with promotion to substantive vice-admiral on 1 March.[12]

Admiral Cursetji became the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) of the Indian Navy on 1 March 1976. He retired on 28 February 1979[1][3] and died in January 1991.[13]

Awards

Cursetji was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in January 1971. He was the first Indian Navy CNS to be awarded the Legion of Merit in 1978.[2]

Dates of rank

Insignia	Rank	Component	Date of rank
	Sub-lieutenant	Royal Indian Navy	1 April 1940[4]
	Lieutenant	Royal Indian Navy	1 October 1941[6]
	Lieutenant-Commander	Royal Indian Navy	1 October 1949 (substantive)[14]
	Lieutenant Commander	Indian Navy	26 January 1950 (recommissioning)[15][16]
	Commander	Indian Navy	30 June 1952.[17]
	Captain	Indian Navy	15 November 1955 (acting)[7] 31 December 1957 (substantive)[10]
	Rear Admiral	Indian Navy	18 December 1967 (acting; paid from 1 March 1968)[18] 22 November 1969 (substantive)[19]
	Vice-Admiral	Indian Navy	20 February 1970 (acting)[11] 1 March 1973 (substantive)[12]
	Admiral	Indian Navy (CNS)	1 March 1976

References

1. Service Chiefs of India. Google Books. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
2. Stewart, William. Admirals of the World. p. 85. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
3. "Admiral Jal Cursetji, PVSM". Information Resource Facilitation Centre, Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
4. The Navy List: February 1941. HM Stationery Office. 1941. p. 817.
5. The Navy List: December 1941. HM Stationery Office. 1941. p. 1056.
6. The Navy List: December 1943. HM Stationery Office. 1941. p. 1802.
7. http://www.hydrobharat.nic.in/pdf/charting.pdf%5B%5D
8. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 24 March 1956. p. 60.
9. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 28 December 1957. p. 335.
10. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 29 November 1958. p. 268.
11. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 4 April 1970. p. 450.
12. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 30 June 1973. p. 724.
13. Bulletin Hydrographique International, page 161
14. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 5 November 1949. p. 1547.
15. "New Designs of Crests and Badges in the Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 August 2017.
16. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 11 February 1950. p. 227.
17. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 19 July 1952. p. 155.
18. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 13 April 1968. p. 316.
19. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)". The Gazette of India. 28 March 1970. p. 418.