Sundarajan Padmanabham former chief of Army staff passed away last night in Chennai after a prolonged illness at the age of 83. He served more than four decades in the Army. He started his career with the Regiment of Artillery on December 13, 1959. He took charge as the Chief of Army Staff on October 1, 2000.
General Padmanabham was India’s 20th chief of Army staff, also known as Paddy among his peers. He was Born on December 5, 1940, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He was an alma mater of Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC), Dehradun, and the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla.
General Padmanbham’s dedication to the well-being of soldiers, his modernization of the Indian Army, and his strategic vision have left a lasting impression. He was also an Honorary ADC to the President of India. The Indian Army was commanded by General Padmanabhan during the pivotal phase of “Operation PARAKRAM.” He served with distinction for 43 years before retiring on December 31, 2002.
He received the honor of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for his services as the 15 corps commander. He commanded an Independent Artillery Brigade and Mountain Brigade before attending the prestigious NDC course at Delhi.
