Kirpal Singh (Indian Navy officer): Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Indian Navy officer (1925–2021)}}
#REDIRECT [[Kirpal Singh (admiral)]]
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{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix  = [[Rear admiral (India)|Rear Admiral]]
| name              = Kirpal Singh
| honorific_suffix  = [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal|AVSM]]
| native_name      =
| native_name_lang  =
| image        =
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| birth_date    =  {{birth date|1925|9|5|df=y}}<ref name="Anad">{{cite web|title=Rear Admiral Kirpal Singh (Retd.)|url=https://anadfoundation.org/about/board-of-advisors/rear-admiral-kirpal-singh-retd/|website=Anad Foundation|date=13 January 2012 |access-date=5 January 2021}}</ref>
| birth_place  = [[Beawar]], [[Ajmer]], [[Ajmer-Merwara]], [[British India]] <br>(now in [[Rajasthan]])
| death_date    = {{death date and age|2021|8|10|1925|9|5|df=y}}
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| placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->
| nickname      =
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| allegiance={{flag|British India}}<br/>{{flag|India}}
| branch= {{navy|British India}}<br/>{{navy|India}}
| serviceyears  = 1943–1977
| rank= [[File:12-Indian_Navy-RADM.svg|20px]] [[Rear admiral (India)|Rear-Admiral]]
| servicenumber =
| unit          =
| commands      = [[Western Fleet (India)|Western Fleet]]<br/>{{ship|INS|Vikrant|1961}}
| battles      = [[Second World War]]
| battles_label =
| awards        = [[File:Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medal_ribbon.svg|20px]] [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
| relations    =
| laterwork    =
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}}
}}
[[Rear admiral (India)|Rear Admiral]] '''Kirpal Singh''', [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal|AVSM]] (5 September 1925 – 10 August 2021) was a [[flag officer]] in the [[Indian Navy]] and founder of Dolphin Offshore Enterprises, one of India's first offshore technology firms. As a philanthropist, he formed the Dolphin Foundation,<ref>Dolphin Foundation Indian Oil, Economic Times, 29 May 2009: http://www.iocl.com/MediaCenter/PrintNews.aspx?NewsID=5260&NewsTypeID=-1</ref> dedicated to providing grants and fellowships in the offshore and marine industry.<ref>{{cite book|title=Blueprint to Bluewater: The Indian Navy 1951 – 1965|first=Satyindra|last=Singh|year=1992|publisher=Lancer|page=529|isbn=9788170621485}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Transition To Triumph: History of the Indian Navy 1965–1975|page=56|first=G.M.|last=Hiranandani|year=2000|publisher=Lancer|isbn=9781897829721}}</ref><ref>''The Times of India Year Book Including Who's Who'' (1973). Page 26</ref><ref>{{cite web|work=Bloomberg Business Week|title=Dolphin Offshore Enterprises|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=28509596&ticker=DOEI:IN}}</ref>
== Early life and education ==
Singh was born to Partap Singh and Laj Wanti, on 5 September 1925 in [[Beawar]], in the district of Ajmer, Rajasthan. His father was a junior level Police Officer in the Opium Contraband Control Department during the [[British Raj]]. Singh grew up in very modest circumstances. In 1930, when Partap Singh retired prematurely at the age of 42, the family moved to [[Rawalpindi]] in North-West Punjab (now in Pakistan).
Singh received his early education at Khalsa High School in Rawalpindi. In 1939, he was selected for a scholarship to join the ''Indian Mercantile Marine [[Training Ship Dufferin]]'' at Bombay. Singh initially trained as a cadet for the Merchant Navy from 1940 to 1942, the first of many occasions when he was awarded an Extra First Class or First Class Certificate.
==Naval career==
Japan's entry in the [[Second World War]] and its swift occupation of the Indian territory of the [[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]] abruptly changed Singh's career path.<ref>
{{cite journal
  |journal=Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society
  |year=1945
  |publisher=Taylor and Francis
  |title=Royal Indian Navy
  |first=JTS|last=Hall
  |volume=32
|pages=68–79
|doi=10.1080/03068374508731156
}}</ref>
===World War II===
Singh served as a midshipman during World War II on board the battleship, [[HMS Anson (79)|HMS ''Anson'']] from January 1944 to June 1944, escorting Allied convoys from the Atlantic across the Arctic Ocean to Murmansk, Russia. Thereafter he was transferred to {{HMS|King George V|41|6}} on board which he participated in military operations in the Mediterranean and the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). Later, as part of [[British Pacific Fleet]], his ship survived the constant threat of the Japanese Kamikaze pilots in Okinawa. During his tenure on these battleships, Singh came into contact with his mentor, Admiral [[Bruce Fraser, 1st Baron Fraser of North Cape]]. He also benefited from programs for overseas officers organised by the [[Victoria League]].
After the war, from September 1945 to March 1946, Singh attended technical courses as a Sub Lieutenant with the Royal Navy. A year later, he was sent to the UK to specialize in Gunnery at the Royal Navy's Gunnery School at [[HMS Excellent (shore establishment)|HMS ''Excellent'']].
=== Post-Independence ===
In 1949, Singh served as [[Aide-de-camp]] (ADC) to the last [[Governor-General of India]], [[C. Rajagopalachari]] at [[Rashtrapati Bhawan]], the President's official address. During this formative time of India's Independence, he came in close contact with several of the nation's leaders like [[Vallabhbhai Patel]] and [[Jawaharlal Nehru]].
Singh held many positions during his naval career. He commanded various ships and establishments, including the aircraft carrier {{INS|Vikrant|1961|6}} and the [[Western Fleet (India)|Western Fleet]].
In April 2017, Singh attended the second reunion of the AsDC (Aides-de-Camp), hosted by President [[Pranab Mukherjee]].<ref>[https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/president-expresses-gratitude-to-his-asdc-for-their-service/1039134 President expresses gratitude to his AsDC for their service]</ref>
==Business career==
Singh's post-naval career began with the establishment of a small ship repair firm with three other partners. He also represented [[Balfour Beatty|Balfour Beatty Engineering Ltd]] in India. In early 1978, he met a senior general manager in the state owned [[Oil and Natural Gas Corporation]] (ONGC), which had discovered oil and gas at [[Bombay High]]. At the ONGC executive's suggestion, that India urgently needed to develop its underwater technology capabilities, Singh attended the [[Offshore Technology Conference]] (Houston) in May 1978. There he persuaded the business leadership of Taylor Diving and Salvage Co., a subsidiary of [[KBR (company)|Brown and Root]] and the [[Halliburton]] group, to jointly bid for work on ONGC contracts. On 17 May 1979, Singh, along with Shavax Lal, with whom he had become acquainted during his tenure as C. Rajagopalachari's aide-de-camp, launched Dolphin Offshore Enterprises with the objective of providing supply vessels, diving and marine engineering services to India's nascent offshore oil and gas industry. In 1994, Dolphin Offshore Enterprises made its [[initial public offering]]. The company is listed on the [[Bombay Stock Exchange|Bombay]] and [[National Stock Exchange of India]]. Singh served as Chairman of Dolphin Offshore Enterprises.
== Philanthropy ==
Singh provided a grant for the launch of the Maritime Museum in Kochi.<ref>
{{cite news
  |url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/21/stories/2008072157540200.htm
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080731100023/http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/21/stories/2008072157540200.htm
  |url-status=dead
  |archive-date=31 July 2008
  |title=Charting India's maritime tradition
  |author=Staff
  |work=[[The Hindu]]
  |date=21 July 2008
}}</ref> Through the Dolphin Foundation, he provided grants for individuals in the offshore and maritime industry in India. In 2006, he launched a scholarship program for the children of sailors in the Indian Navy.<ref>
{{cite web
  |url=http://citynewslive.com/fullstory2k5-insight-Scholarship+award-status-24-newsID-111807.html
  |title=Admiral Kirpal Singh Scholarships Awarded to Children
  |work=OnlyPunjab.com
  |accessdate=29 July 2013
}}</ref> He and his wife Manjit Kirpal Singh were Trustees and Advisory board members of the Anad Foundation,<ref>
{{cite web
  |publisher=Anad Foundation
  |url=http://anadfoundation.org/about/board-of-trustees-advisors-of-the-anad-foundation/
  |title=Board of Trustees
  |date=12 January 2012
|accessdate=31 July 2013
}}</ref> dedicated to advancing the values of humanism through spiritual music. He was dedicating his time to launching a technical institute to train young Indians for the offshore energy and maritime industry.<ref>
{{cite news
  |work=The Economic Times
  |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/emerging-markets-where-the-future-is/the-offshore-support-industry-can-be-an-engine-of-social-change-in-india/articleshow/4591342.cms
  |title=The offshore support industry can be an engine of social change in India
  |author=ET Bureau
  |date=29 May 2010
}}</ref>
== Personal life ==
Kirpal Singh married Manjit Kaur Dugal in New Delhi on 20 September 1953. She is the daughter of Uttam Singh Dugal<ref>Documents on Punjab, Page 238, 1994, O.P.Ralhan et al</ref> and Balwant Kaur.
Kirpal and Manjit collaborated closely,<ref>{{cite web
  |publisher=Indian Naval Wives Welfare Association
  |url=http://www.irfc-nausena.nic.in/irfc/nwwa/html/activities.htm
  |title=Activities
  |accessdate=31 July 2013
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130730200037/http://www.irfc-nausena.nic.in/irfc/nwwa/html/activities.htm
  |archive-date=30 July 2013
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref> and the Development Initiative For Self-reliance and Human Advancement (DISHA).<ref>
{{cite web
  |url=http://www.dishaindia.in
  |title=Homepage
  |publisher=Development Initiative For Self-reliance and Human Advancement
}}</ref> She was the first Director of Finance for Dolphin Offshore. She recently resigned as a Director of the company, after serving on the Board for 32 years.<ref>
{{cite web
  |url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=31065093&ticker=DOEI:IN&previousCapId=20342627&previousTitle=DOLPHIN%20OFFSHORE%20ENTERPRISES
  |title=Executive Profile: Mrs. Manjit Kirpal Singh
  |work=Business Week
  |accessdate=29 July 2013
}}</ref>
He died on 10 August 2021, at the age of 95.<ref>[https://www.forevermissed.com/kirpal-singh/lifestory Kirpal Singh (1925–2021)]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmY-7CqZG28 Rear Admiral Kirpal Singh Eulogy]</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.dolphinoffshore.com Dolphin Offshore]
* [http://anadfoundation.org/ Anad Foundation]
* [https://archive.today/20130730200037/http://www.irfc-nausena.nic.in/irfc/nwwa/html/activities.htm Naval Wives Welfare Association]
{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Elenjikal Chandy Kuruvila]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[INS_Vikrant_(1961)#Commanding_officers|Commanding Officer INS Vikrant]]|years=1969–1971}}
{{s-aft|after=S L Sethi}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Elenjikal Chandy Kuruvila]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet]]|years=1973–1973}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Swaraj Parkash]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Kirpal}}
[[Category:1925 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Delhi]]
[[Category:Flag Officers Commanding Western Fleet]]
[[Category:Indian military personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Indian Navy admirals]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
[[Category:Royal Indian Navy officers]]

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