Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri
Encyclopedia
Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri OBE
(10 June 1908 – 6 April 1983) was Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army
from 1962 to 1966 and the Military Governor of Hyderabad State
from 1948 to 1949.
Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri studied at St. Xavier's College
of the University of Calcutta
, Highgate School
in London, and Royal Military College at Sandhurst. He joined the Indian Army in February 1928 and quickly rose through the ranks; he was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services in South East Asian theatre as a cavalry/tank commander.His class mate at Sandhurst was Ayub Khan,later military ruler of Pakistan.At sandhurst, he got his nickname"muchhu".(owing to his rich mustachios) Following a course at the Imperial Defence College at England in 1947 (which he did with first Indian army chief KM Cariappa), he returned to India and was appointed Director of Military Operations & Intelligence at Army Headquarters in New Delhi in November 1947. He was the fourth officer to become director of military operations for the Indian army in the calendar year of 1947.He worked with Maj Gen Mohite to complete military evacuation from Pakistan. He had to organise the Kashmir war effort up to May 1948, when he was succeeded by SHFJ Maneckshaw as DMO and Chand Narayan Das as Director of Military Intelligence. He was promoted to the rank of Major General in 1948 and became the Chief of the General Staff (officiating). He commanded the 1948 Hyderabad Operations in sep 1948 and served as the Military Governor of Hyderabad State(1948–49). He was promoted to the rank of General in 1962 and took over as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS). He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan
, India's second highest civilian honour.
Chaudhuri hailed from a distinguished Bengali family that has produced many renowned lawyers and writers. His grandfather was a landlord of Chatmohar Upazila
of Pabna
district of present day Bangladesh
. Noted writer Pramatha Chaudhuri
, brother-in-law of Nobel
laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore
, was his uncle. He wrote two books on military matters and served as a literary reviewer for a leading Indian daily "The Statesman".He was the first Indian army chief to write an autobiography in 1979.(Helped by Col. B K Narayan).Later General Krishna Rao wrote his autobiography and General Sunderjee could not finish before his death. He loved western music and founded and was first president of the Delhi Symphony Society, an organization that promoted Western music. He retired in 1966 after 38 years of military service. Subsequently, he served as the Indian High Commissioner to Canada. Chaudhuri was married and had two children. He died on 6 April 1983.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(10 June 1908 – 6 April 1983) was Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army
Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army
The Chief of the Army Staff is the commander and usually the highest-ranking officer of the Indian Army. The position is abbreviated as COAS in Indian Army cables and communication....
from 1962 to 1966 and the Military Governor of Hyderabad State
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
from 1948 to 1949.
Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri studied at St. Xavier's College
St. Xavier's College, Calcutta
St. Xavier's College is located in Kolkata, India, and is named after St. Francis Xavier, a Jesuit saint of the 16th century, who travelled to India. It is an autonomous college affiliated to the University of Calcutta. It gained autonomy in July 2006, thus becoming the first autonomous college of...
of the University of Calcutta
University of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta is a public university located in the city of Kolkata , India, founded on 24 January 1857...
, Highgate School
Highgate School
-Notable members of staff and governing body:* John Ireton, brother of Henry Ireton, Cromwellian General* 1st Earl of Mansfield, Lord Chief Justice, owner of Kenwood, noted for judgment finding contracts for slavery unenforceable in English law* T. S...
in London, and Royal Military College at Sandhurst. He joined the Indian Army in February 1928 and quickly rose through the ranks; he was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services in South East Asian theatre as a cavalry/tank commander.His class mate at Sandhurst was Ayub Khan,later military ruler of Pakistan.At sandhurst, he got his nickname"muchhu".(owing to his rich mustachios) Following a course at the Imperial Defence College at England in 1947 (which he did with first Indian army chief KM Cariappa), he returned to India and was appointed Director of Military Operations & Intelligence at Army Headquarters in New Delhi in November 1947. He was the fourth officer to become director of military operations for the Indian army in the calendar year of 1947.He worked with Maj Gen Mohite to complete military evacuation from Pakistan. He had to organise the Kashmir war effort up to May 1948, when he was succeeded by SHFJ Maneckshaw as DMO and Chand Narayan Das as Director of Military Intelligence. He was promoted to the rank of Major General in 1948 and became the Chief of the General Staff (officiating). He commanded the 1948 Hyderabad Operations in sep 1948 and served as the Military Governor of Hyderabad State(1948–49). He was promoted to the rank of General in 1962 and took over as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS). He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan
Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan...
, India's second highest civilian honour.
Chaudhuri hailed from a distinguished Bengali family that has produced many renowned lawyers and writers. His grandfather was a landlord of Chatmohar Upazila
Chatmohar Upazila
Chatmohar is an Upazila of Pabna District in the Division of Rajshahi, Bangladesh.-Geography:Chatmohar is located at . It has 39489 units of house hold and total area 314.32 km².-Demographics:...
of Pabna
Pabna
Pabna is a town in Rajshahi Division ofBangladesh and the administrative capital of eponymous Pabna District. It is located on the north bank of Padma river and has a population of about 138,000.-Name:...
district of present day Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. Noted writer Pramatha Chaudhuri
Pramatha Chaudhuri
Pramathanath Chaudhuri , known as Pramatha Chaudhuri, alias Birbal, is an exceptionally illuminating persona in modern Bengali literature. It is astounding how he kept hold of his uniqueness in all-pervasive era of Rabindranath Tagore...
, brother-in-law of Nobel
Nobel
Nobel can mean:*Nobel Prize, awarded annually since 1901, from the bequest of Swedish inventor Alfred NobelThe Nobel family:*Alfred Nobel, , the inventor of dynamite, instituted the Nobel Prizes...
laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
, was his uncle. He wrote two books on military matters and served as a literary reviewer for a leading Indian daily "The Statesman".He was the first Indian army chief to write an autobiography in 1979.(Helped by Col. B K Narayan).Later General Krishna Rao wrote his autobiography and General Sunderjee could not finish before his death. He loved western music and founded and was first president of the Delhi Symphony Society, an organization that promoted Western music. He retired in 1966 after 38 years of military service. Subsequently, he served as the Indian High Commissioner to Canada. Chaudhuri was married and had two children. He died on 6 April 1983.
External links
- http://www.archives.lib.soton.ac.uk/mbindex/index179.shtml
- http://www.regiments.org/biography/defchiefs/in2CinC.htm
- http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/ARMY/Army-Chiefs/Chiefs-Army08.html