Sunith Francis Rodrigues - Revision history

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← Older revision		Revision as of 21:45, 25 September 2022
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	[[General (India)\|General]] '''Sunith Francis Rodrigues''', [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal\|PVSM]], [[Vishisht Seva Medal\|VSM]] (19 September 1933 – 4 March 2022) was an Indian army officer who was [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)\|Chief of the Army Staff]] of the [[Indian Army]]<ref>{{cite web\| url = http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?262249\| title = Ice Station Taurus {{!}} Outlook India Magazine}} </ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/nation/the-colonel-who-got-us-siachen\|title = The Colonel Who Got Us Siachen\|date = 8 July ~~2022~~}}</ref> from 1990 to 1993 and [[List of governors of Punjab (India)\|Governor of Punjab]] from 2004 to 2010.		[[General (India)\|General]] '''Sunith Francis Rodrigues''', [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal\|PVSM]], [[Vishisht Seva Medal\|VSM]] (19 September 1933 – 4 March 2022) was an Indian army officer who was [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)\|Chief of the Army Staff]] of the [[Indian Army]]<ref>{{cite web\| url = http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?262249\| title = Ice Station Taurus {{!}} Outlook India Magazine}} </ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/nation/the-colonel-who-got-us-siachen\|title = The Colonel Who Got Us Siachen\|date = 8 July 2010}}</ref> from 1990 to 1993 and [[List of governors of Punjab (India)\|Governor of Punjab]] from 2004 to 2010.

	==Early life and education==		==Early life and education==
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	Rodrigues joined the [[Joint Services Wing]] of the [[Indian Military Academy]] in 1949 and was commissioned on 28 December 1952 into the [[Regiment of Artillery (India)\|Regiment of Artillery]].<ref name="commission"/> After serving in several field and self-propelled artillery units he applied for pilot training in the [[Air Observation Post]] of the Artillery in 1964 and qualified as an artillery aviation pilot. Between 1964 and 1969, he logged more than 158 flying hours on observation aircraft and helicopters, including 65 hours of combat flying during the 1965 war in which his unit logged on more than 56 precision artillery fire to effect on enemy formations.		Rodrigues joined the [[Joint Services Wing]] of the [[Indian Military Academy]] in 1949 and was commissioned on 28 December 1952 into the [[Regiment of Artillery (India)\|Regiment of Artillery]].<ref name="commission"/> After serving in several field and self-propelled artillery units he applied for pilot training in the [[Air Observation Post]] of the Artillery in 1964 and qualified as an artillery aviation pilot. Between 1964 and 1969, he logged more than 158 flying hours on observation aircraft and helicopters, including 65 hours of combat flying during the 1965 war in which his unit logged on more than 56 precision artillery fire to effect on enemy formations.

	He attended the [[Defence Services Staff College]] and took over as GSO II operations in [[XXXIII Corps (India)\|XXXIII Corps]] HQ in 1971. In 1972, after the war with [[Pakistan]], he was awarded the [[Vishisht Seva Medal\|VSM]] for distinguished service.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1972/O-1321-1972-0036-58849.pdf.\|title=Lt. Col. Sunith Francis Rodrigues (IC 6119), Artillery- VSM Citation in 'The Gazette of India No 36' Page 982\| date=2 September 1972\|accessdate=17 October ~~2022~~}}</ref> He later served as a GSO I operations of a division from 1973 to 1975.		He attended the [[Defence Services Staff College]] and took over as GSO II operations in [[XXXIII Corps (India)\|XXXIII Corps]] HQ in 1971. In 1972, after the war with [[Pakistan]], he was awarded the [[Vishisht Seva Medal\|VSM]] for distinguished service.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1972/O-1321-1972-0036-58849.pdf.\|title=Lt. Col. Sunith Francis Rodrigues (IC 6119), Artillery- VSM Citation in 'The Gazette of India No 36' Page 982\| date=2 September 1972\|accessdate=17 October 2020}}</ref> He later served as a GSO I operations of a division from 1973 to 1975.

	As a [[Brigadier]], he commanded a mountain infantry brigade in a high altitude sector from 1975 to 1977. Post this, Rodrigues attended the 1978 course at [[Royal College of Defence Studies]] in the United Kingdom. He was Chief Instructor at Defence Services Staff College from 1979 to November 1981.		As a [[Brigadier]], he commanded a mountain infantry brigade in a high altitude sector from 1975 to 1977. Post this, Rodrigues attended the 1978 course at [[Royal College of Defence Studies]] in the United Kingdom. He was Chief Instructor at Defence Services Staff College from 1979 to November 1981.

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{{Short description|Indian army officer (1933–2022)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = [[General (India)|General]]
| name = Sunith Francis Rodrigues
| honorific_suffix = [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal|PVSM]], [[Vishisht Seva Medal|VSM]]
| image = General Sunith Francis Rodrigues.jpg
| image_upright = 0.9
| alt =
| caption =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name =
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1933|9|19}}
| birth_place = Bombay, [[Bombay Presidency]], [[British Raj]] (now [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]], India)
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2022|3|4|1933|9|19}}
| death_place = [[Panaji]], [[Goa]], India
| placeofburial =
| placeofburial_label =
| placeofburial_coordinates = 
| office = 26th [[List of governors of Punjab, India|Governor of Punjab]] and 13th [[Administrator of Chandigarh]]
| term_start = 16 November 2004
| term_end = 22 January 2010
| appointer = [[President of India]] {{small|(then, [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]])}}
| 1blankname = Chief Minister
| 1namedata = [[Parkash Singh Badal]]
| predecessor = [[Akhlaqur Rahman Kidwai]] {{small|''(Additional Charge)''}} [[O. P. Verma|Om Prakash Verma]]
| successor = [[Shivraj Patil]]
| office1 = 32nd [[Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee]]
| term_start1 = 1 August 1991
| term_end1 = 30 June 1993
| president1 = [[Ramaswamy Venkataraman|R. Venkataraman]] [[Shankar Dayal Sharma]]
| primeminister1 = [[P. V. Narasimha Rao]]
| predecessor1 = [[Surinder Mehra]]
| successor1 = [[Laxminarayan Ramdas]]
| office2 = 15th [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)]]
| term_start2 = 1 July 1990
| term_end2 = 30 June 1993
| president2 = [[Ramaswamy Venkataraman|R. Venkataraman]] [[Shankar Dayal Sharma]]
| primeminister2 = [[Vishwanath Pratap Singh|V. P. Singh]] [[Chandra Shekhar]] [[P. V. Narasimha Rao]]
| predecessor2 = [[Vishwa Nath Sharma]]
| successor2 = [[Bipin Chandra Joshi]]
| allegiance = {{flag|India}}
| branch = {{army|India}}
| serviceyears = 1952–1993
| rank = [[File:General of the Indian Army.svg|15px]] [[General (India)|General]]
| military_blank1 = [[Service number]]
| military_data1 = IC-6119<ref name="commission"/>
| unit = [[File:Regiment of Artillery Insignia (India).svg|20px]] [[Regiment of Artillery (India)|Regiment of Artillery]]
| commands = [[File:IA_Western_Command.svg|20px]] [[Western Command (India)|Western Army]] [[File:IA_Central_Command.jpg|20px]] [[Central Command (India)|Central Army]] Director General Military Training (DGMT)
| battles = [[Sino-Indian War|Sino-Indian War of 1962]] [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]] [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
| battles_label =
| military_blank2 = Awards
| military_data2 = {{plainlist|
* [[File:Param Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|25px]] [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
* [[File:Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|25px]] [[Vishisht Seva Medal]]
}}
| military_blank3 = Later work(s)
| military_data3 = {{plainlist|
* [[National Security Council (India)|National Security Advisory Board]]
* Director of International Centre, [[Goa]]
}}
| memorials =
| spouse = 
| relations =
| signature =
| signature_size =
| signature_alt =
| website = 
| module =
}}

[[General (India)|General]] '''Sunith Francis Rodrigues''', [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal|PVSM]], [[Vishisht Seva Medal|VSM]] (19 September 1933 – 4 March 2022) was an Indian army officer who was [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of the Army Staff]] of the [[Indian Army]]<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?262249| title = Ice Station Taurus {{!}} Outlook India Magazine}} </ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/nation/the-colonel-who-got-us-siachen|title = The Colonel Who Got Us Siachen|date = 8 July 2022}}</ref> from 1990 to 1993 and [[List of governors of Punjab (India)|Governor of Punjab]] from 2004 to 2010.

==Early life and education==
Rodrigues was born in [[Bombay]] in 1933. He was educated at [[St. Xavier's High School, Fort]] in Bombay.

==Military service==
Rodrigues joined the [[Joint Services Wing]] of the [[Indian Military Academy]] in 1949 and was commissioned on 28 December 1952 into the [[Regiment of Artillery (India)|Regiment of Artillery]].<ref name="commission"/> After serving in several field and self-propelled artillery units he applied for pilot training in the [[Air Observation Post]] of the Artillery in 1964 and qualified as an artillery aviation pilot. Between 1964 and 1969, he logged more than 158 flying hours on observation aircraft and helicopters, including 65 hours of combat flying during the 1965 war in which his unit logged on more than 56 precision artillery fire to effect on enemy formations.

He attended the [[Defence Services Staff College]] and took over as GSO II operations in [[XXXIII Corps (India)|XXXIII Corps]] HQ in 1971. In 1972, after the war with [[Pakistan]], he was awarded the [[Vishisht Seva Medal|VSM]] for distinguished service.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1972/O-1321-1972-0036-58849.pdf.|title=Lt. Col. Sunith Francis Rodrigues (IC 6119), Artillery- VSM Citation in 'The Gazette of India No 36' Page 982| date=2 September 1972|accessdate=17 October 2022}}</ref> He later served as a GSO I operations of a division from 1973 to 1975.

As a [[Brigadier]], he commanded a mountain infantry brigade in a high altitude sector from 1975 to 1977. Post this, Rodrigues attended the 1978 course at [[Royal College of Defence Studies]] in the United Kingdom. He was Chief Instructor at Defence Services Staff College from 1979 to November 1981.

===General officer===
Rodrigues was then promoted to the rank of [[Major General]] and then took over the command of a division in a high altitude area. In 1982, he was awarded the master's degree in Defence Studies. He then served as the Chief of Staff of a Corps from 1983 to September 1985 after which he took over as Director General Military Training (DGMT).

After promotion to the rank of [[Lieutenant General]], Rodrigues took command of a corps in the Northern Sector in 1986.

He was Vice Chief of Army Staff from November 1987 to April 1989 and then [[General officer commanding#Usage in the Indian Army|General Officer Commanding-in-Chief]] of Central Command from April 1989 to October 1989. He then took over [[Western Command (India)|Western Command]] from 1 November 1989 to 30 June 1990 and was the Chief of Army Staff from 1990 to 1993. He retired on 30 June 1993 after nearly 41 years of service.

==Public service==
After his retirement Rodrigues was Director of the International Centre, [[Goa]] for nearly six years. He served two terms on the National Security Advisory Board. Since his retirement, he has been engaged in social and literary pursuits and has also delivered talks on strategic issues. He takes a keen interest in education and empowering children to achieve their potential. He was on the Executive Council of [[Goa University]] for seven years and on the Managing Committee of the Goa Chamber of Commerce. He is also a long-standing Member of the Goa Planning Board and on the Board of Governors of the Goa Institute of Management.

===Governor of Punjab===
Rodrigues was appointed Governor of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] and Administrator of the [[Union Territory]] of [[Chandigarh]] on 8 November 2004, and he was sworn into office on 16 November 2004.

He was succeeded by [[Shivraj Patil]] on 22 January 2010.<ref>{{cite news |title=Shiv Raj Patil is 33rd Governor of Punjab |newspaper=Punjab Newsline Network |date=22 January 2010 |url=http://www.punjabnewsline.com/content/shiv-raj-patil-33rd-governor-punjab }}</ref>

==Death==
Rodrigues died at the Manipal Hospital in Dona Paula on 4 March 2022, at the age of 88.<ref>{{Cite news |others=Special Correspondent |date=2022-03-04 |title=Former Army Chief Gen Rodrigues passes away |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/former-army-chief-gen-rodrigues-passes-away/article65190281.ece |access-date=2022-03-04 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

==Military awards and decorations==
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|
|[[File:Param Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|105px]]
|[[File:Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|105px]]
|
|-
|[[File:India General Service Medal 1947.svg|105px]]
|[[File:IND Samar Seva Star Ribbon.svg|105px]]
|[[File:IND Poorvi Star Ribbon.svg|105px]]
|[[File:IND Paschimi Star Ribbon.svg|105px]]
|-
|[[File:IND Raksha Medal Ribbon.svg|105px]]
|[[File:IND Sangram Medal Ribbon.svg|105px]]
|[[File:IND Sainya Seva Medal Ribbon.svg|105px]]
|[[File:IND High Altitude Medal Ribbon.svg|105px]]
|-
|[[File:IND 25th Anniversary Independence medal.svg|105px]]
|[[File:IND 30 Years Long Service Ribbon.svg|105px]]
|[[File:IND 20YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|105px]]
|[[File:IND 9YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|105px]]
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
|colspan="2"|[[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
|colspan="2"|[[Vishisht Seva Medal]]
|-
|[[General Service Medal 1947]]
|[[Samar Seva Star]]
|[[Poorvi Star]]
|[[Paschimi Star]]
|-
|[[Raksha Medal]]
|[[Sangram Medal]]
|[[Indian military decorations#Service and campaign medals|Sainya Seva Medal]]
|[[Indian military decorations#Service and campaign medals|High Altitude Service Medal]]
|-
|[[Indian military decorations#Service and campaign medals|25th Anniversary of Independence Medal]]
|[[Indian military decorations#Long service awards|30 Years Long Service Medal]]
|[[Indian military decorations#Long service awards|20 Years Long Service Medal]]
|[[Indian military decorations#Long service awards|9 Years Long Service Medal]]
|-
|}

==Dates of rank==
{|class="wikitable" style="background:white"
! Insignia !! Rank !! Component !! Date of rank
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Second Lieutenant of the Indian Army.svg|35px]] || [[Second Lieutenant]] || [[Indian Army]] || 28 December 1952<ref name="commission">{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=154 |date=11 July 1953 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Lieutenant_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant]] || Indian Army || 28 December 1954<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=45 |date=26 February 1955 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Captain_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Captain (armed forces)|Captain]] || Indian Army || 28 December 1958<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=109 |date=9 May 1959 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Major_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Major]] || Indian Army || 28 December 1965<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=175 |date=19 March 1966 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Lieutenant_Colonel_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] || Indian Army || 17 June 1973<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=905 |date=10 August 1974 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Colonel_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Colonel]] || Indian Army || 1975
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Brigadier_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Brigadier]] || Indian Army || 2 September 1976<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=295 |date=1 April 1978 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Major_General_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Major general#India|Major General]] || Indian Army || 8 April 1983<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=1144 |date=14 July 1984 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Lieutenant_General_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant-General]] || Indian Army || 20 September 1985<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=363 |date=22 March 1986 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:General_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[General]] (COAS) || Indian Army || 30 June 1990
|-
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef
|before = [[Surinder Mehra]]}}
{{s-ttl
|title = [[Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee]]
|years = 1 August 1991 - 30 June 1993}}
{{s-aft
| after =[[Laxminarayan Ramdas]]
}}
{{succession box | before = [[Vishwa Nath Sharma]]|title = [[Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army|Chief of Army Staff]] | years = 1990–1993 | after = [[B. C. Joshi|Bipin Chandra Joshi]]}}
{{Succession box
| title = [[Vice Chief of Army Staff (India)|Vice Chief of Army Staff]]
| years = 1 November 1987 - 20 April 1989
| before = J K Puri
| after = V K Sood
}}
{{Succession box
| title = [[General officer commanding#Usage in the Indian Army|General Officer Commanding-in-Chief]] [[Western Command (India)|Western Command]]
| years = 1 November 1989 - 30 June 1990
| before = V K Nayak
| after = G S Grewal
}}
{{Succession box
| title = [[General officer commanding#Usage in the Indian Army|General Officer Commanding-in-Chief]] [[Central Command (India)|Central Command]]
| years = 1 April 1989 - 30 October 1989
| before = [[Sami Khan (general)|Sami Khan]]
| after = [[F. N. Billimoria]]
}}
{{s-gov}}
{{succession box
| before=[[Akhlaqur Rahman Kidwai]]
| title=[[List of Governors of Punjab (India)|Governor of Punjab]]
| years = 2004–2010
| after = [[Shivraj Patil]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee}}
{{Chief of the Army Staff India}}
{{PunjabGovernors}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodrigues, Sunith Francis}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:2022 deaths]]
[[Category:Chiefs of Army Staff (India)]]
[[Category:Vice Chiefs of Army Staff (India)]]
[[Category:Goan Catholics]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Konkani people]]
[[Category:Governors of Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
[[Category:Indian Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Indian generals]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal College of Defence Studies]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Vishisht Seva Medal]]