ex-army-chief-general-padmanabhan-passes-away-in-chennai

General Sundararajan Padmanabhan, the 20th Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army, passed away late on August 18, 2024, in Chennai. He was 83.

 

Born on December 5, 1940, in Trivandrum, Kerala, Padmanabhan was a distinguished alumnus of the Rashtriya Indian Military College, the National Defence Academy, and the Indian Military Academy.

 

Commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery in 1959, he dedicated over 43 years to military service.

 

General Padmanabhan's career included key roles such as commanding the 15 Corps in Kashmir, where his leadership significantly impacted anti-militancy operations.

 

He also served as Director General of Military Intelligence and as General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Northern Command before assuming the role of COAS on September 30, 2000, retiring in December 2002.

 

Post-retirement, he authored two books, contributing to military literature.