Sundararajan Padmanabhan

In this Indian name, the name Sundararajan is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Padmanabhan.

General Sundararajan Padmanabhan PVSM, AVSM, VSM (5 December 1940 – 18 August 2024)^[1] was a General Officer of the Indian Army. He served as the 19th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army.^[2] General Padmanabhan succeeded General V.P. Malik on 30 September 2000.^[2] He also served as Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.^[3]

General Sundararajan Padmanabhan PVSM, AVSM, VSM
41st Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
In office 30 December 2001 – 31 December 2002
President	K. R. Narayanan A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Prime Minister	Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Preceded by	Sushil Kumar
Succeeded by	Madhvendra Singh
19th Chief of the Army Staff
In office 1 October 2000 – 31 December 2002
President	K. R. Narayanan A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Prime Minister	Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Preceded by	Ved Prakash Malik
Succeeded by	Nirmal Chander Vij
Personal details
Born	(1940-12-05)5 December 1940 Trivandrum, Travancore, India (now Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala)
Died	18 August 2024(2024-08-18) (aged 83) Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Awards	Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Vishisht Seva Medal
Nickname	Paddy
Military service
Allegiance	India
Branch	Indian Army
Service years	1959–2002
Rank	General
Unit	Regiment of Artillery
Commands	Southern Army Northern Army XV Corps

Early life and education

Padmanabhan was born in a Tamil Brahmin family.^[4] He was schooled at the Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun. In 1956, Padmanabhan joined the National Defence Academy and then the Indian Military Academy, from where he graduated in 1959.

Military career

Padmanabhan was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery on 13 December 1959.^[2]

He attended the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington in 1973. Post this, he commanded an Independent Light Battery from 1975 to 1976. He then commanded the Gazala Mountain Regiment from 1977 to 1980. He also served as Instructor Gunnery at the School of Artillery, Deolali and two terms as an instructor at the Indian Military Academy.

As a Brigadier, he attended the prestigious National Defence College, New Delhi.

He resided in Chennai after retirement.^[5] Padmanabhan authored two books. He died in Chennai on 18 August 2024, at the age of 83.^[6]

Books

Gen. Padmanabhan was also an author of Indian military fiction, including the 2004 novel Writing on the Wall, the plot of which involves India fighting a war simultaneously with Pakistan while improving relations with China.

Honours and awards

Military awards

Param Vishisht Seva Medal	Ati Vishist Seva Medal		Vishisht Seva Medal
General Service Medal	Siachen Glacier Medal	Special Service Medal	Raksha Medal
Sangram Medal	Operation Vijay Medal	Sainya Seva Medal	50th Anniversary of Independence Medal
25th Anniversary of Independence Medal	30 Years Long Service Medal	20 Years Long Service Medal	9 Years Long Service Medal

Dates of rank

Insignia	Rank	Component	Date of rank
	Second Lieutenant	Indian Army	13 December 1959[7]
	Lieutenant	Indian Army	13 December 1961
	Captain	Indian Army	13 December 1965[8]
	Major	Indian Army	13 December 1972[9]
	Lieutenant-Colonel	Indian Army	16 August 1978[10]
	Colonel	Indian Army	8 February 1985[11]
	Brigadier	Indian Army	13 April 1986[12]
	Major General	Indian Army	16 November 1991[13]
	Lieutenant-General	Indian Army	1 November 1993[14]
	General (COAS)	Indian Army	1 October 2000