N. P. Datta

Vice Admiral Nar Pati Datta AVSM (1 April 1922–10 October 2003) was an Indian Navy admiral.[1]

Vice Admiral

N. P. Datta

AVSM
Born(1922-04-01)1 April 1922
Died10 October 2003(2003-10-10) (aged 81)
New Delhi, India
Allegiance British Raj
 India
Service/branch Royal Indian Navy
Indian Navy
Years of service1944–1977
Rank Vice Admiral
Commands heldWestern Fleet
INS Mysore (C60)
INS Ganga (D94)
INS Talwar (F140)
Battles/warsWorld War II
Awards Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Other workChairman and Managing Director, Mazagon Dock Limited

Early career

After taking an M.A. from Government College Lahore in 1943, Datta taught at the college as an English literature lecturer for a year.[2] On 30 June 1944, he was commissioned a sub-lieutenant in the Royal Indian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RINVR).[3]

Post-Independence

He received a regular commission in the Indian Navy post-Independence, and was promoted substantive lieutenant-commander on 30 December 1954.[4] He attended the Defence Services Staff College at Wellington,[2] and was promoted commander on 31 December 1959.[5] During his career, he specialised in torpedoes and anti-submarine warfare.[6]

Datta successively commanded the Whitby-class frigate INS Talwar (F140), the Hunt-class destroyer INS Ganga (D54) and the cruiser INS Mysore (C60).[2] In 1969, he attended a course at the Imperial Defence College (now the Royal College of Defence Studies) in London,[1] and served as naval adviser to the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom at India House, London from December 1969 to April 1972. He also served as Fleet Operations Officer Western Fleet and as Director of Naval Plans at Naval HQ.[6]

Flag rank

On 2 May 1973, Commodore Datta was promoted acting rear admiral and appointed Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff.[7][8] In November, he was appointed Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (DCNS).[8] On 22 April 1974, he assumed command as Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet (FOCWF).[1] He was promoted substantive rear admiral on 1 April 1975.[9] In March 1976, he was appointed to a second tenure as DCNS,[6] and was promoted vice-admiral on 5 September 1977.[10]

After retiring from the Navy, Datta was appointed Chairman and Managing Director of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in November 1977.[2] A skilled yachtsman, he later became the Chairman of the Selection Committee of the Yachting Association of India and managed the national team. In 1987, he became the first Indian judge of the International Yacht Racing Union.[11]

Post-retirement

From 1994 to 1998, he served as an International Sailing Federation (ISAF) council member for South and Central Asia, and was awarded a silver medal in November 1998 "in recognition of his outstanding voluntary contribution to the sport of sailing."[12] On 10 October 2003, he was killed in a traffic accident in Delhi when he was struck by a speeding bus.[13]

References
  1. "Rear Admiral Datta to be Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 20 April 1974. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  2. "Vice Admiral Datta to Head Mazagaon Dock Limited" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 2 November 1977. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  3. "The Royal Indian Navy: Officers of the Royal Indian Naval Volunteer Reserve". The Navy List: July 1944. H.M. Government. 1945. p. 2123.
  4. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 15 January 1955. p. 15.
  5. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 10 September 1960. p. 234.
  6. "Rear Admiral Datta Promoted" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 8 September 1977. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  7. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 14 July 1973. p. 772.
  8. "Naval Appointments" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 2 November 1973. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  9. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 31 July 1976. p. 1059.
  10. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 12 August 1978. p. 796.
  11. "First Indian as International Yachting Judge" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 8 January 1987. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  12. "Obituary: Nar Pati Datta". World Sailing. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  13. Agrawal, Subhash (23 October 2003). "An Officer and Gentleman". The Financial Express. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
Military offices
Preceded by
M. R. Schunker		 Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff
1976-1977		 Succeeded by
D. S. Paintal
Preceded by
Swaraj Parkash		 Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet
1974-1975		 Succeeded by
Rustom K. S. Ghandhi
Preceded by
Swaraj Parkash		 Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff
1973-1974		 Succeeded by
M. R. Schunker
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