General Sundararajan Padmanabhan passes away at 83

Apart from heading the Udhampur-based Northern Command and the Pune-based Southern, he also served as the Director General Military Intelligence

General Sundararajan Padmanabhan, widely regarded as one of India’s finest military leaders, passed away in Chennai on Sunday night. He was 83.

Padmanabhan, or Paddy as he was fondly called, served as the army chief during 2000-02. (ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY)

Padmanabhan, or Paddy as he was fondly called, served as the army chief during 2000-02. Born on December 5, 1940, he was commissioned in the Regiment of Artillery on December 13, 1959.

The general, who stayed away from the limelight after his retirement, was the army chief when India launched Operation Parakram following the December 2001 terror attack on Parliament. It was the army’s largest mobilisation after the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

Padmanabhan held a variety of key appointments in his illustrious military career. Apart from heading the Udhampur-based Northern Command and the Pune-based Southern, he also served as the Director General Military Intelligence. The general headed the Srinagar-based HQs 15 Corps during 1993-95 when Kashmir valley was in the throes of terrorism.

His other appointments include the command of an infantry division, an independent artillery brigade and instructor gunnery at School of Artillery.