A Sailors Story: An Autobiography

A Sailors Story

The life and times of Vice Admiral N. Krishnan

Padma Bhushan, PVSM, DSC, Indian Navy 1919-1982

Vice Admiral N. Krishnan

Edited and published by Arjun Krishnan

Copyright ARJUN KRISHNAN 2019 - Second Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission.

First Edition Published: 2011

ISBN: 81-8953414-9

Ebook formatting by www.ebooklaunch.com

Reviews of A Sailors Story

Admiral Krishnans formidable legacy continues to this day. This affable and dapper officer embodied the Indian navy in more ways than one and one must read this book to appreciate his achievements

- K. Chandni, Bharat Rakshak

Thrill and Adventure by One of the nations finest - The Sailors Story is an autobiography by Vice Admiral N. Krishnan, one of Indias finest naval heroes, edited by his son, Arjun Krishnan..The book is one great Adventure. Extremely interesting reading

- Robin Shukla , Book Reviews, ADC

Preface to the 2 nd Edition

It has been 8 years since I published the first edition of A Sailors Story. I am delighted to release a second updated version in 2019 -the year of Vice Admiral Krishnans birth centenary. As I toured the country over the past 8 years releasing the book at Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore, I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of admiration and respect for the man, especially from sailors who served with him, and still remember his leadership and dynamism, more than 35 years after his passing.

For details of the launches, videos, photos and posts please visit his facebook page at https:// www .facebook.com/ASailorsStoryAdmiralKrishnan/

Arjun Krishnan

January, 2019

About the Editor & Publisher

Arjun Krishnan is the son of late Vice Admiral Nilakanta Krishnan. He was educated in India completing his graduation from the University of Bombay [Mumbai] and is a Chartered Accountant from England & Wales. A finance professional, he specializes in implementing enterprise wide treasury & financial systems for global corporations worldwide. He is the author of Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance with SAP Treasury and Risk Management published by Galileo / SAP press in February 2009, and is managing partner in his own consulting business. In addition to his consulting work, he is currently working on two new books. He enjoys travelling, experiencing new cultures and writing, and can be reached at .

Arjun hails from an illustrious and literary family. His grandfather M. Nilakanta Aiyer, was a superintending engineer in Travancore State ( now mostly Tamil Nadu) , and a recipient of the Rao Bahadur title and medal, issued by the British Viceroy in pre-independent India, to individuals who have provided great service to the nation. He was responsible for building many of the dams, roads and bridges that dot the landscape in that part of Southern India. Arjuns sister, Mrs. Chitra Narendran, was a respected educator, and an acclaimed author of childrens books as well as an anthology of poems. She has written for Childrens television, Mumbai, and originated its Panna Club series- a successful community service programme for children. She passed away in 1987 at the young age of 41 years.

Dedication

To my dear father and best friend, Vice Admiral Nilakanta Krishnan, for all the good times and laughter;

To my loving mother, Mrs. Sita Krishnan, his consort battleship through thick and thin, and always there for us;

To my dearest sister, Mrs. Chitra Narendran, brilliant, gentle, and compassionate, who always looked out for her little brother.

Loved in Life, Remembered always,
We miss you most, who loved you best

Contents

Vice Admiral Nilakanta Krishnan (1919 - 1982) was one of the most decorated officers in the Indian Armed Forces, with 17 medals adorning his broad shoulders earned after 40 years of distinguished Service in the Indian Navy, including the Padma Bhushan and the Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry in World War II. Known as the Sailors Admiral, his love for his beloved Navy was surpassed only by his love for his Country. We, his family came a close third in the pecking order.

Flamboyant, charismatic, and a dynamic leader of men, this is his story, told mostly in his own words, and is inextricably linked to the story of India, from pre-independence to post independent modern India, spanning some of Indias most tumultuous times, seen through his eyes, his experiences, his part in building Indias Navy, and culminating in Indias greatest military triumph, in which he played such a pivotal role.

Joining the Royal Indian Navy at the age of 16, he was in the thick of battle for the entire period of the Second World War from the age of 19, earning the Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry a few years later, one of only two Indian Naval officers to ever win that honor. He was involved in every sea faring action in post independent India, culminating in the greatest moment of the Indian Armed Forces, the signing of the surrender ceremony by Pakistani forces in Dacca, Bangladesh in December 1971, heralding the birth of a new nation, and for which he was awarded the Padma Bhushan by a grateful nation.

As part of that war, his brilliant strategy to lure the Pakistani submarine P.N.S. Ghazi and sink her at the mouth of Vishakhapatnam harbor on the eastern seaboard of India, made him a national hero, and still ranks as one of the greatest sea faring victories in the annals of Indian Naval history.

A lesser known fact is that he was involved in the only other naval action prior to the 1971 Bangladesh war - the liberation of Goa, Diu and Daman from the Portuguese in 1962. As Captain of the INS Delhi, he was responsible for bombardment of Diu from the Sea, and supporting the Indian Army, resulting in the un-conditional surrender of Portuguese forces on land, and resulting in Goa, Diu and Daman finally joining the Indian Union.

His life was a fascinating one, which most people would only dream about. He rubbed shoulders with Royalty, Presidents, Prime ministers, Politicians, Military brass, war heroes, the famous, the not so famous, extra ordinary and ordinary people, in the course of his life and every encounter has left a fascinating tale behind it. From Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, V.V. Giri, Ace fighter pilot Guy Gibson of second world war dambusters fame, Queen Elizabeth the Queen mother, Lord Mountbatten of Burma, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding of Battle of Britain fame, Russian Grand Admiral Gorshkov, to even an encounter with a mafia Don and his moll in downtown San Francisco - they are all part of the tapestry that made his lifes story so interesting.