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{{Short description|Flag Officer in the Indian Navy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific prefix = [[Rear admiral (India)|Rear Admiral]]
| name = P S Mahindroo
| honorific suffix = [[PVSM]]
| birth_date = {{birth date|1917|04|17|df=y}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1999|10|08|1917|04|17}}
| birth_place = [[Amritsar]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]], [[British India]]
| death_place = [[Chandigarh]], [[India]]
| placeofburial =
| image =
| caption =
| nickname = Peter
| allegiance = {{flag|British Raj}}<br />{{flag|India}}
| branch = {{navy|British Raj}} <br />{{flagicon image|Naval Ensign of India.svg}} [[Indian Navy]]
| serviceyears = 1939–1972
| rank = [[File:British_Royal_Navy_(sleeves)_OF-7.svg|23px]] [[File:12-Indian_Navy-RADM.svg|23px]] [[Rear admiral (India)|Rear Admiral]]
| commands = {{INS|Vikrant|1961|6}}<br />{{ship|INS|Delhi|C74}}
| unit =
| battles = [[World War II]]
| relations =
| awards = [[File:Param_Vishisht_Seva_Medal_ribbon.svg|20px]] [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
| laterwork =
}}
[[Rear admiral (India)|Rear Admiral]] '''Pritam Singh 'Peter' Mahindroo''', [[PVSM]] (1917-1999) was a Flag Officer in the [[Indian Navy]]. He was the first [[Sikh]] Admiral in the Indian Navy. He was the [[Ship commissioning|commissioning]] [[Commanding Officer]] of the Indian Navy's first [[aircraft carrier]] {{INS|Vikrant|1961|6}}. He later served as the [[Chief of Materiel (India)|Chief of Materiel]] and as the Director General Naval Dockyard Expansion Scheme before retiring in 1972.

==Naval career==
Mahindroo was in the seventh batch of Indian cadet-entry officers to join the Indian Mercantile Marine [[Training Ship Dufferin]], in 1933. After graduating from the ''Dufferin'' in December 1935, he joined the mercantile marine.

===World War II===
In September 1939, with the outbreak of the [[World War II]], he joined the Royal Indian Naval Reserve (RINR) as an acting [[Sub-lieutenant]]. He was initially denied entry since he refused to cut his hair, but later was accepted as the first turbaned officer in the navy.<ref name="India today" /> He first served on the Cornwallis-class [[sloop]] ''HMIS Pansy''. After about two years on the sloop, he was transferred to the auxiliary patrol vessel ''HMIS Sonavati'' in December 1941.<ref name="Navy List Aug 1942">{{cite book |title=The Navy List: August 1942 |publisher=HM Government, UK |date=1945 |pages=1770|chapter=Officers of the Royal Indian Naval Reserve }}</ref> On 4 April 1942, he was made temporary [[Lieutenant (navy)|Lieutenant]]. Mahindroo was then transferred to the [[Bangor-class minesweeper]] {{ship|HMIS|Rajputana|J197}} in December 1942.<ref name="Navy List June 1943">{{cite book |title=The Navy List: June 1943 |publisher=HM Government, UK |date=1943 |pages=1115|chapter=Officers of the Royal Indian Naval Reserve }}</ref>

On 22 June 1943, the [[Black Swan-class sloop]] {{ship|HMIS|Godavari}} was commissioned in [[Woolston, Southampton]]. The ship was in command of Commander [[James Wilfred Jefford]], who later became the first [[Chief of Naval Staff (Pakistan)|Commander-in-Chief]] of the [[Royal Pakistan Navy]].<ref>{{cite web |title=INDIA'S NEWEST SHIP COMMISSIONED. 22 JUNE 1943, WOOLSTON, SOUTHAMPTON. THE COMMISSIONING OF THE SLOOP HMIS GODAVARI. |url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205150382 |website=Imperial War Museums |language=en}}</ref> Mahindroo was the navigator and the only Indian among 14 British officers on board.<ref>{{cite web |title=INDIA'S NEWEST AND BEST SHIP |url=https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/bitstream/handle/2152/65401/txu-oclc-35776857-1943-08-09-003-00001.pdf?sequence=5&isAllowed=y |website=repositories.lib.utexas.edu |date=9 August 1943}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=INDIA'S NEWEST SHIP COMMISSIONED. 22 JUNE 1943, WOOLSTON, SOUTHAMPTON. THE COMMISSIONING OF THE SLOOP HMIS GODAVARI. |url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205150383 |website=Imperial War Museums |language=en}}</ref><ref name="India today">{{cite web |last1=October 15 |first1=ROHIT PARIHAR |title=P.S. Mahindroo, first commanding officer of INS Vikrant, worries about navy's future |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/living/story/19961015-p.s.-mahindroo-first-commanding-officer-of-ins-vikrant-worries-about-navy-future-833953-1996-10-15 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref> The ''Godavari'' was deployed in the UK-Gibraltar route till the end of 1943, after which she was transferred to the [[East Indies Fleet]]. In December 1944, he was transferred to ''HMIS Akbar'', the RIN training establishment in Bombay. He served in this appointment until the end of the war. He then led the parade of the Indian Naval contingent at the [[London Victory Celebrations of 1946]].{{sfn|Singh|1991|p=26}}

===Post-Independence===
In 1949, India acquired three [[destroyer]]s from the UK - {{ship|HMS|Rotherham|H09}}, {{ship|HMS|Redoubt|H41}} and {{ship|HMS|Raider|H15}} which were being renamed to {{ship|INS|Rajput|D141}}, {{ship|INS|Ranjit|1949}} and {{ship|INS|Rana|D115}}.{{sfn|Singh|1986}} Mahindroo was appointed [[Executive Officer]] of the ''Rajput''.<ref name="Tribune obit">{{cite web |title=tribuneindia...Chandigarh Features |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/1999/99oct16/cth3.htm |website=www.tribuneindia.com}}</ref> In 1955, Mahindroo was promoted to the acting rank of [[Captain (Indian Navy)|Captain]] and appointed Chief Instructor at the [[Defence Services Staff College]] (DSSC), [[Wellington Cantonment|Wellington]].<ref>{{cite web |title=CHANGES IN SENIOR NAVAL APPOINTMENTS |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1955-JULY%20DEC-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1955-07-15_021.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=15 July 1955}}</ref> The Naval wing at DSSC was established in 1949-50 and Mahindroo was the first Indian chief instructor. On 2 July 1956, he was promoted substantive Captain.<ref>{{cite web |title=NAVAL PROMOTIONS |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1956-JULY-DEC-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1956-07-02_099.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=2 July 1956}}</ref> After a stint of about three years at DSSC, he was appointed [[Commanding officer]] of the navy's [[flagship]] - the {{ship|INS|Delhi|C74}}. He took over from Captain [[Benjamin Abraham Samson]]. The [[Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet|Flag Officer Commanding Indian Fleet]] Rear Admiral [[Ram Dass Katari]] flew his flag on the ''Delhi''.{{sfn|Katari|1983}} In June 1957, the Indian fleet called on ports in Africa with Mahindroo as the flag captain. After the Africa visit, the fleet sailed for [[Trincomalee]] for the annual joint commonwealth exercises with the [[Royal Navy]], [[Royal Ceylon Navy]] and the [[Pakistan Navy]]. Mahindroo was in command of the ''Delhi'' during these exercises as well.{{sfn|Katari|1983}}

In March 1960, Mahindroo was summoned by the [[Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Chief of the Naval Staff]] (CNS) [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]] [[Ram Dass Katari]] and told that he was selected to command the Indian Navy's first [[aircraft carrier]] - {{INS|Vikrant|1961|6}}. In June, he embarked for Belfast where the ship was berthed. He then attended refresher courses at various training establishments and spent a week aboard {{ship|HMS|Ark Royal|91}}.{{sfn|Singh|1991|p=144-145}} The ship was commissioned on 4 March 1961 at 1000 hours by [[Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit]], the [[List of High Commissioners of India to the United Kingdom|High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom]].{{sfn|Singh|1991|p=104}} Mahindroo took the ''Vikrant'' from Belfast for Portsmouth in March 1961 and then to Portland for sea trials. Under him, in May, she embarked the [[Bréguet 1050 Alizé]]s of [[INAS 310]] in Toulon, France and then sailed for Malta for an intensive work-up. In August, [[Hawker Sea Hawk]]s of [[INAS 300]] also embarked in the English Channel. During the work-up and the trials, Mahindroo received kudos from the [[Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean Fleet]] for the carrier's excellent performance.{{sfn|Singh|1991|p=143}} He then brought the carrier home to India, calling on multiple ports on the way like Alexandria, Port Said and Aden, with ''INS Rajput'' as escort.<ref>{{cite web |title=Four-day goodwill visit |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1961-JAN-DEC-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1961-10-17_426.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=17 October 1961}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=INS VIKRANT ON WAY TO INDIA |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1961-JAN-DEC-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1961-10-21_433.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=21 October 1961}}</ref> ''Vikrant'' reached home waters by 3 November, where the two squadrons disembarked and she was welcomed by the flagship {{ship|INS|Mysore|C60}} and aircraft of the [[Indian Air Force]].<ref>{{cite web |title=FLYING WELCOME TO VIKRANT |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1961-JAN-DEC-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1961-10-26_445.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=26 October 1961}}</ref> The same day, ''Vikrant'' was welcomed by the [[Prime Minister of India]], [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], CNS Vice Admiral Katari and [[Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command|Flag Officer Bombay]] Rear Admiral [[S. G. Karmarkar]].{{sfn|Singh|1991|p=145}}

In June 1962, Mahindroo led the ''Vikrant'' in exercises in the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and off Malaya.<ref>{{cite web |title=PRESS NOTE |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1962-JAN-DEC-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1962-06-13_233.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=13 June 1962}}</ref> After commanding the carrier for over two years, he relinquished command, handing over to Captain [[Nilakanta Krishnan]] in April 1963. He swapped places with Krishnan and was appointed Commanding Officer of the Navy's Engineering College [[INS Shivaji]] in [[Lonavala]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Leadership {{!}} insshivaji |url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/insshivaji/content/leadership |website=www.indiannavy.nic.in}}</ref> After a short stint at ''Shivaji'', in March 1964, Mahindroo was promoted to the rank of [[Commodore (rank)|Commodore]] and appointed Commodore Superintendent [[Bombay Dockyard|Naval Dockyard, Mumbai]].<ref name="PIB Bio">{{cite web |title=NAVAL PROMOTIONS TO FLAG RANK |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1965-AUG-DECC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1965-08-17_026.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=17 August 1965}}</ref>

===Flag rank===
In February 1965, Mahindroo was appointed [[Chief of Materiel (India)|Chief of Materiel]] (COM) at Naval HQ and took over from Commodore [[Sourendra Nath Kohli]]. In August, the appointment was upgraded to flag rank and he was promoted to the rank of [[Rear admiral (India)|Rear Admiral]]. He served as the COM for about three years. In December 1967, he was appointed Director General Naval Dockyard Expansion Scheme (DG-NDES).<ref>{{cite web |title=COMMODORE KRISHNAN NEW NAVY VICE CHIEF |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1967-JULY-DEC-DEFENCE-VOL-2/PDF/DEF-1967-12-11_192.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=11 December 1967}}</ref> He served in this appointment for long tenure of about six years. On 26 January 1972, he was awarded the [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]] for distinguished service of the most exceptional order.<ref>{{cite web |title=GALLANTRY AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS FOR DEFENCE PERSONNEL|url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1972-JAN-MAY-MIN-OF-DEFENCE-/PDF/DEF-1972-01-25_076.pdf|website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=25 January 1972}}</ref>

==Later life and death==
Mahindroo moved to Chandigarh after his retirement and was an avid golfer, playing seven days a week. His son also joined the Navy and had a short stint. On 31 January 1997, ''INS Vikrant'' was [[Ship commissioning#Ship decommissioning|decommissioned]] at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. The decommissioning ceremony was performed by Mahindroo, the carrier's first captain. He died in the Military Hospital, [[Chandimandir Cantonment|Chandimandir]] on 8 October 1999.<ref name="Tribune obit"/>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
*{{citation|first1=Satyindra|last1=Singh|title=Under two ensigns: The Indian Navy, 1945-1950|year=1986|isbn= 978-8120400948|publisher=Oxford & IBH Pub. Co}}
*{{citation|first1=Satyindra|last1=Singh|title=Blueprint to bluewater: The Indian Navy, 1951-65|year=1991|isbn= 978-8170621485|publisher=Lancer International}}
*{{citation|first1=Ram Dass|last1=Katari|title=A Sailor Remembers|year=1983|isbn=9780706920642|publisher=Vikas}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Sourendra Nath Kohli]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Chief of Materiel (India)|Chief of Materiel]]|years=1965-1968}}
{{s-aft|after=[[V. A. Kamath]]}}
{{s-new|reason=First holder}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[INS Vikrant (1961)#Commanding officers|Commanding Officer INS Vikrant]]|years=1961-1963}}
{{s-aft|rows=2|after=[[Nilakanta Krishnan]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Benjamin Abraham Samson]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Commanding Officer]] [[INS Delhi (C74)|INS Delhi]]|years=1957-1958}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahindroo, P S}}
[[Category:Indian Navy admirals]]
[[Category:Royal Indian Navy officers]]
[[Category:1917 births]]
[[Category:1999 deaths]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
[[Category:Chiefs of Materiel (India)]]

P. S. Mahindroo - Revision history

Bot: robot: Create/upgrade articles. If there is a mistake please report on my talk page.