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{{Infobox military person
| honorific prefix = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| name = V A Kamath
| honorific suffix = [[PVSM]]
| birth_date = March 1921
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2017|01|15|1921|03}}
| birth_place = [[Madras Presidency]], [[British Raj]]
| death_place =
| placeofburial =
| image = File:VAdm_V_A_Kamath.jpg
| caption =
| nickname = Vasu
| allegiance = {{flag|British India}} (1939–1947) {{flag|India}} (from 1947)
| branch = {{navy|British India}} {{navy|India}} {{coast guard|India}}
| serviceyears = 1939–1980
| rank = [[File:British_Royal_Navy_(sleeves)_OF-8.svg|23px]] [[File:13-Indian_Navy-VADM.svg|23px]] [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| commands = [[Indian Coast Guard]] [[Southern Naval Command|Southern Naval Area]] [[Western Fleet (India)|Western Fleet]] {{INS|Vikrant|1961|6}} {{ship|INS|Trishul|F143}} {{ship|INS|Tir|K256}}
| unit =
| battles = [[World War II]] [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
| awards = [[File:Param_Vishisht_Seva_Medal_ribbon.svg|20px]] [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
| relations =
| laterwork =
}}
[[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]] '''Vasudeva Anant Kamath''', [[PVSM]] (1921-2017) was a former [[Flag officer]] in the [[Indian Navy]]. He was the founding [[Director General of the Indian Coast Guard]], which he led from [[1978]] to [[1980]]. He also served as the 4th [[Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Vice Chief of the Naval Staff]] (VCNS) from [[1973]] to [[1977]], the longest [[Academic tenure|tenure]] in the [[Indian Navy|Indian Navy's]] [[history]]. During the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]], he [[Leadership|led]] the [[Southern Naval Command|Southern Naval Area]], for which he was [[Award|awarded]] the [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]].

==Early life==
Kamath was born 1921 to Dr A V Kamath, a doctor working for the government of [[Madras Presidency]]. He was the oldest of nine children - five boys and four girls. Two of the brothers joined the Indian Navy while another joined the [[Indian Air Force]], retiring as a [[Wing Commander (rank)|Wing Commander]]. The other two brothers joined the [[Merchant navy]] and the [[Indian Railways]].<ref name="Obit">{{cite web |title=Quarterdeck |url=https://inexartificers.com/public/uploads/ebooks/Ebook_1_07-01-2019_11_35_52.pdf |website=inexartificers.com}}</ref>

==Naval career==
===Early career===
Kamath joined the Indian Mercantile Marine Training Ship (IMMTS) ''[[Training Ship Chanakya|Dufferin]]'' as a cadet in 1936. In December 1938, he was one of three cadets selected to join the [[Royal Indian Navy]] (RIN). The other to cadets later joined the [[Pakistan Navy]] and rose to become its [[Commander in Chief (Pakistan Navy)|Commander-in-Chief]] - [[Afzal Rahman Khan]] and [[Syed Mohammad Ahsan]]. After joining the RIN, Kamath was trained in the United Kingdom. He was trained on the [[Hawkins-class cruiser]] {{ship|HMS|Frobisher|D81}} and then on {{ship|HMS|Vindictive|1918}}.<ref name="QD Int">{{cite web |title=Quarterdeck 2011 |url=https://desanavy.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/quarter-deck.pdf |website=desanavy.files.wordpress.com/}}</ref>

===World War II===
With the outbreak of [[World War II]], Kamath was promoted to the rank of [[Midshipman]] and posted to the [[Revenge-class battleship]] {{ship|HMS|Royal Sovereign|05}}, part of the [[2nd Battle Squadron]] of the [[Home Fleet]]. The ''Royal Sovereign'' was assigned to the 2nd Battle Squadron of the Home Fleet.{{sfn|Levy|2003|p=22}} She was assigned to the North Atlantic Escort Force, which was based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was tasked with protecting [[convoy]]s to Britain. In July 1940, he was aboard the ship when she participated in the [[Battle of Calabria]].<ref name="QD Int" />

On 1 May 1941, Kamath was commissioned as an acting [[Sub-lieutenant#Acting sub-lieutenant|Sub-Lieutenant]]. He was subsequently trained at the Anti-Submarine school in Castle barracks in Bombay. After the course, he was posted as anti-submarine warfare officer to the [[sloop]] [[HMIS Clive]] which was a part of the [[Eastern Fleet]].<ref name="QD Int" /> In February 1943, he was posted as an instructor to ''HMIS Bahadur'', the boys' training establishment in Karachi.{{sfn|Katari|1983}} He also served at the junior boys' training establishment ''HMIS Dilawar''.<ref name="QD Int" /><ref>{{cite web |title=(1128) - Navy lists > Quarterly > 1945 > April > Volume 3 - British Military lists - National Library of Scotland |url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/93465442 |website=digital.nls.uk}}</ref>

In 1944, Kamath was selected to attend the Long Gunnery course and embarked for the [[United Kingdom]]. He completed the course at [[HMS Excellent (shore establishment)|HMS Excellent]] on Whale Island at Portsmouth in December 1944.<ref name="Obit" /> After completing the gunnery course, he returned to India and was posted to ''HMIS Himalaya'', the RIN gunnery school in Karachi, as an instructor.<ref name="QD Int" /> After a two-year stint, he was selected to take Indian [[Naval rating|ratings]] to the United Kingdom to train them at the ''Excellent''. This was done since the [[Leander-class cruiser (1931)|Leander-class]] [[cruiser]] {{ship|HMS|Achilles|70}} was being acquired by the Indian Navy as {{ship|INS|Delhi|C74}} and Kamath was to be the commissioning gunnery officer.{{sfn|Singh|1986|p=72}}<ref name="Obit" />

===Post-Independence===
Kamath was promoted to the acting rank of [[Lieutenant Commander]] in July 1948.<ref name="Lt Cdr">{{cite web |title=PROMOTIONS OF OFFICERS IN THE R.I.N. |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1948-JULY-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1948-07-02_002.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=2 July 1948}}</ref> The ''Delhi'' was commissioned on 5 July 1948 by the [[List of High Commissioners of India to the United Kingdom|High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom]] [[V. K. Krishna Menon]]. She was commanded by Captain H N S Brown, her [[executive officer]] was Commander [[Ram Dass Katari]] and Lieutenant Commander [[Sardarilal Mathradas Nanda]], her [[first lieutenant]]. On her way to India, she called at [[Portsmouth]], [[Isle of Portland|Portland]], [[Gibraltar]] and [[Malta]]. The [[Prime Minister of India]] [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] himself welcomed the ship at Bombay.{{sfn|Singh|1986|p=70-71}} She went on a cruise round the coasts of India, calling at [[Karwar]], [[Cochin]], [[Trincomalee]], [[Madras]], [[Vizag]], [[Calcutta]], [[Port Blair]], [[Colombo]] and [[Calicut]] before returning to Bombay.<ref>{{cite web |title=PIB (Defence Wing) |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1948-JULY-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1948-10-13_265.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=13 October 1948}}</ref> In May 1949, she left on her [[Indian Ocean]] cruise. She called at [[Victoria, Seychelles]], [[Port Louis]] in [[Mauritius]], [[Dar es Salaam]] in [[Tanzania]] and [[Mombasa]] in [[Kenya]]. The cruise to the Indian Ocean republics and East Africa generated a tremendous amount of goodwill.<ref>{{cite web |title=HMIS Delhi's Indian Ocean cruise |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1949-JAN-DEC-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1949-04-27_156.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=27 April 1949}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=H.M.I.S. DELHI RECEIVES GREAT WELCOME IN MAURITIUS |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1949-JAN-DEC-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1949-05-30_193.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=30 May 1949}}</ref>

Kamath was promoted substantive lieutenant-commander on 16 March 1950.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=1 |date=1 April 1950 |url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1950/O-2343-1950-0001-108681.pdf |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> On 31 December 1953, he was promoted to [[Commander]] and appointed Director of Naval Plans at Naval headquarters.<ref name="Cdr">{{cite web |title=PROMOTIONS IN INDIAN NAVY |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1953-JAN-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1953-12-31_376.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=31 December 1953}}</ref> In 1955, he was appointed Commander (Executive Officer) of ''INS Delhi''.<ref name="CO VIKRANT"/><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> In 1956, he took command of the training ship {{ship|INS|Tir|K256}}. After a year-long stint, he was appointed Chief Instructor at the [[Defence Services Staff College]], [[Wellington Cantonment|Wellington]] on 25 February 1957, with the acting rank of captain.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch) |page=133 |date=25 May 1957 |url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1957/O-2125-1957-0021-96387.pdf |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref><ref name="QD Int" />{{sfn|Sarma|2001|p=82}} By 1959, two [[Whitby-class frigate|Whitby-class]] [[Anti-submarine warfare|Anti-submarine frigates]] (ASW frigate) were launched in the United Kingdom and were to join the Indian Navy as {{ship|INS|Talwar|F140}} and {{ship|INS|Trishul|F143}}. Kamath was selected to be the [[Ship commissioning|commissioning]] [[commanding officer]] of ''Trishul''.{{sfn|Singh|1991|p=89}} ''Trishul'' was the first ASW frigate to join the Indian Navy.<ref>{{cite web |title=INS TRISHUL - NAVY's NEW FRIGATE |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1960-JAN-JUNE-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1960-01-12_021.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=12 January 1960}}</ref> After commissioning in January 1960, he led the ship on exercises around the UK and sailed for India. She called on Toulon, Naples and Athens and arrived in Bombay in May 1960.<ref>{{cite web |title=INS TRISHUL ARRIVING IN BOMBY NEXT WEEK |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1960-JAN-JUNE-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1960-05-07_307.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=8 May 1960}}</ref> Kamath was promoted to substantive [[Captain (Indian Navy)|Captain]] on 30 June 1960.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=234 |date=10 September 1960 |url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1960/O-1947-1960-0037-87645.pdf |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>

In 1961, Kamath moved to Naval HQ having been appointed Director of Naval Plans for the second time, this time in the rank of captain. He served in this appointment during the [[Annexation of Goa]]. In late 1964, Kamath was appointed the third commanding officer of the Navy's [[flagship]] - the [[aircraft carrier]] {{INS|Vikrant|1961|6}}. He took command from Captain [[Nilakanta Krishnan]] in November.<ref name="CO VIKRANT">{{cite web |title=NEW COMMANDING OFFICER FOR INS VIKRANT |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1964-JULY-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1964-11-16_256.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=16 November 1964}}</ref> In early 1965, he led the ship in large air-sea exercises in the [[Arabian Sea]].<ref>{{cite web |title=INS VIKRANT IN GOA |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1965-JAN-JULY-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1965-04-07_174.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=7 April 1965}}</ref> The [[Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Chief of the Naval Staff]] Vice Admiral [[Bhaskar Sadashiv Soman]] flew his flag on the flagship ''Vikrant''.<ref>{{cite web |title=AIR-SEA EXERCISES IN THE ARABIAN SEA |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1965-JAN-JULY-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1965-04-07_171.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=7 April 1965}}</ref> During the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]], the ''Vikrant'' was under refit and did not sail and participate. However, her [[List of Indian naval air squadrons|squadrons]] - [[INAS 300]] and participated in the war.<ref name="Obit" /> In late-1966, Kamath was selected to attend the [[Imperial Defence College]].<ref name="PIB Bio"/>

===Flag Rank===
After returning to India, in January 1968, he was appointed Chief of Materiel at Naval HQ in the acting rank of [[Rear admiral (India)|Rear Admiral]]. After a year-long stint, he was appointed the next Commander of the [[Western Fleet (India)|Western Fleet]].<ref name="PIB Bio">{{cite web |title=REAR-ADMIRAL V.A. KAMATH |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1971-SEPT-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1971-12-07_188.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=7 December 1970}}</ref> In January 1969, he took over as the second [[Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet]] (FOCWF) from Rear Admiral [[Sourendra Nath Kohli]]. As the FOCWF, Kamath flew his flag on his old ship the ''Vikrant''.<ref name="FOCWF">{{cite web |title=SENIOR NAVAL APPOINTMENTS |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1968-MAY-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1968-11-03_252.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=3 November 1968}}</ref> In February, he led the {{ship|INS|Mysore|C60}}, {{ship|INS|Godavari|D92}} and the {{ship|INS|Gomati|D93}} on a goodwill tour to Sri Lanka.<ref>{{cite web |title=IN SHIPS TO VISIT FOREIGN PORTS |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1969-JAN-JUNE-MIN-OF-DEFENCE-VOLK-I/PDF/DEF-1969-02-06_053.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=6 February 1969}}</ref> He was at the helm of the Western Fleet for about eighteen months.

Until 1970, the Southern Naval Area with its headquarters in Cochin was commanded by an officer of the rank of Commodore designated Commodore-in-Charge Cochin (COMCHIN). In August 1970, the appointment was upgraded and re-designated Flag Officer Commanding Southern Naval Area (FOCSOUTH) and Kamath took over as the first FOCSOUTH.<ref name="FOCSOUTH">{{cite web |title=ADMIRAL KAMATH TO COMMAND SOUTHERN NAVAL AREA |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1970-JUNE-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1970-08-08_071.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=8 August 1970}}</ref> In December 1970, he took the salute at the [[Passing out (military)|passing out parade]] of the first batch of cadets at the Naval Academy in Cochin.{{sfn|Singh|1991|p=254}} He served in this appointment of FOC South during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]. On 26 January 1972, he was awarded the [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]].<ref name="PVSM">{{cite web |title=INVESTITURE CEREMONY ON MARCH 31, 1972 |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1972-JAN-DEC-AWARDS/PDF/DEF-1972-03-31_039.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=31 March 1972}}</ref>

On 21 March 1973, he was promoted to the acting rank of [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]] and was appointed the fourth [[Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Vice Chief of the Naval Staff]] (VCNS), with promotion to substantive vice-admiral on 26 March 1973.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch) |page=1391 |url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1974/O-1255-1974-0050-55622.pdf |date=14 December 1974 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> He succeeded Vice Admiral Jal Cursetji and had a long tenure of four years as VCNS. This remains the longest tenure that a VCNS has served.<ref>{{cite web |title=ADMIRAL KAMATH TO BE NAVAL VICE CHIEF |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1973-JAN-MAY-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1973-03-21_118.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=21 March 1973}}</ref> He retired on 31 March 1977, handing over to Vice Admiral [[Ronald Lynsdale Pereira]].

===Director General Indian Coast Guard===
The [[Indian Coast Guard]] (ICG) came into being on 19 August 1978. The new service was to function under the overall command and control of a Director General (DGICG).<ref>{{cite web |title=COAST GUARD TO BE FORMED IN AUGUST |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1978-APR-AUG-MIN-OF-DEFENCE-PART-2/PDF/DEF-1978-06-29_121.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=29 June 1978}}</ref> Kamath was selected as the founding [[Director General of the Indian Coast Guard]].<ref name="DGICG">{{cite web |title=VICE ADMIRAL KAMATH TAKES OVER COAST GUARD |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1978-APR-AUG-MIN-OF-DEFENCE-PART-2/PDF/DEF-1978-08-19_224.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in}}</ref> Kamath proposed a five-year plan to develop the ICG into a potent force by 1984.<ref>{{cite web |title=History |url=https://www.indiancoastguard.gov.in/content/442_1_HistoryICG.aspx |website=indiancoastguard.gov.in/}}</ref> After a two-year stint, he retired after handing over the command of the Coast Guard to Vice Admiral [[Swaraj Parkash]] in 1980.<ref>{{cite web |title=VICE ADMIRAL SWARAJ PARKASH TAKES OVER AS DIRECTOR GENERAL COAST GUARD |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1980-JAN-JUNE-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1980-03-31_124.pdf |website=pibarchive.nic.in |date=31 March 1980}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Kamath married Lalitha Kamath (née) in 1945. The couple had one son and two daughters. Kamath died on 15 January 2017.<ref>{{cite web |title=Quarterdeck 2018 |url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/sites/default/themes/indiannavy/images/pdf/Quarterdeck2018.pdf |website=indiannavy.nic.in}}</ref>

==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}}
*{{citation|first1=S H|last1=Sarma|title=My years at sea|year=2001|isbn=978-8170621218 |publisher=Lancer Publishers & Distributors}}
* {{Cite book |last=Levy|first=James P.|title=The Royal Navy's Home Fleet in World War II|year=2003|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=1-4039-1773-6|location=Hampshire, UK}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Nilakanta Krishnan]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[INS Vikrant (1961)#Commanding officers|Commanding Officer INS Vikrant]]|years=1964-1966}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Elenjikal Chandy Kuruvila|E. C. Kuruvila]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[P. S. Mahindroo]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Chief of Materiel (India)|Chief of Materiel]]|years=1967-1968}}
{{s-aft|after=[[K. L. Kulkarni]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Sourendra Nath Kohli]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet]]|years=1969-1970}}
{{s-aft|rows=2|after=[[Elenjikal Chandy Kuruvila|E. C. Kuruvila]]}}
{{S-new|reason=Post upgraded}}
{{s-ttl|title=Flag Officer Commanding [[Southern Naval Command|Southern Naval Area]]|years=1970-1973}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Jal Cursetji]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Vice Chief of the Naval Staff]]|years=1973-1977}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Ronald Lynsdale Pereira]]}}
{{S-new|reason=Indian Coast Guard established}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Director General of the Indian Coast Guard]]|years=1978-1980}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Swaraj Parkash]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kamath, V A}}
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:2017 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian Navy admirals]]
[[Category:Vice Chiefs of Naval Staff (India)]]
[[Category:Directors General of the Indian Coast Guard]]
[[Category:Flag Officers Commanding Western Fleet]]
[[Category:Chiefs of Materiel (India)]]
[[Category:Royal Indian Navy officers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal College of Defence Studies]]

V. A. Kamath - Revision history

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