NEW DELHI: Normal Sundararajan Padmanabhan, who was the Military chief through the large ahead troop deployment on the western entrance with Pakistan below Operation Parakram, handed away in Chennai on Sunday evening. He was 83.
Broadly thought to be a straight-talking cerebral officer, affectionately known as “Paddy” in defence circles, Gen Padmanabhan had publicly rubbished Pakistan’s nuclear sabre-rattling throughout Operation Parakram, which was launched after the fear assault on Parliament in December 2001.
Requested how India would reply to a nuclear assault through the customary Military Day press convention in Jan 2002, Normal Padmanabhan mentioned perpetrator can be punished so severely that its continuation thereafter in any kind can be doubtful. To a different query, he mentioned, “Sure, we’re prepared for a second strike”, including that India had ample nuclear weapons.
This led to a significant flutter, each in South Block and throughout the globe. Although the 10-month-long Operation Parakram was later interpreted as an train in “coercive diplomacy” by the then Vajpayee govt to get Pakistan to cease cross-border terrorism, it is usually a proven fact that the 2 nations got here near battle two occasions throughout that interval.
Gen Padmanabhan, who served because the twentieth Military chief from October 2000 to Dec 2002, largely shunned the limelight after superannuation, refusing post-retirement sinecures.
“He leaves behind a legacy of exemplary management to the nation. His legacy is marked by his dedication to the welfare of troopers,” the Military mentioned on Monday. Commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery in December 1959, Gen Padmanabhan held key command, workers and educational appointments throughout his profession, which included the posts of director-general of army intelligence and the 15 Corps commander in Srinagar.
Broadly thought to be a straight-talking cerebral officer, affectionately known as “Paddy” in defence circles, Gen Padmanabhan had publicly rubbished Pakistan’s nuclear sabre-rattling throughout Operation Parakram, which was launched after the fear assault on Parliament in December 2001.
Requested how India would reply to a nuclear assault through the customary Military Day press convention in Jan 2002, Normal Padmanabhan mentioned perpetrator can be punished so severely that its continuation thereafter in any kind can be doubtful. To a different query, he mentioned, “Sure, we’re prepared for a second strike”, including that India had ample nuclear weapons.
This led to a significant flutter, each in South Block and throughout the globe. Although the 10-month-long Operation Parakram was later interpreted as an train in “coercive diplomacy” by the then Vajpayee govt to get Pakistan to cease cross-border terrorism, it is usually a proven fact that the 2 nations got here near battle two occasions throughout that interval.
Gen Padmanabhan, who served because the twentieth Military chief from October 2000 to Dec 2002, largely shunned the limelight after superannuation, refusing post-retirement sinecures.
“He leaves behind a legacy of exemplary management to the nation. His legacy is marked by his dedication to the welfare of troopers,” the Military mentioned on Monday. Commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery in December 1959, Gen Padmanabhan held key command, workers and educational appointments throughout his profession, which included the posts of director-general of army intelligence and the 15 Corps commander in Srinagar.
