G M Hiranandani | |
|---|---|
| Born | 29 June 1931 Karachi, Sindh, British India (Present day: Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan) |
| Died | 1 September 2009 (aged 78) Malakkara, Pathanamthitta District, Kerala, India |
| Allegiance |  India |
| Service | Indian Navy |
| Years of service | 1949–1989 |
| Rank | _OF-8.svg){kind=small}  Vice Admiral |
| Commands | Southern Naval Command INS Rajput (D51) INS Dronacharya INS Tir |
| Battles / wars | Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 |
| Awards |  Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal  Nausena Medal |
| Other work | Member, UPSC 1989–1995 Official Historian, Indian Navy 1995–2009; Author, Transition to Triumph Author, Transition to Eminence Author, Transition to Guardianship |
Vice Admiral Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani, PVSM, AVSM, NM (29 June 1931 – 1 September 2009) was a former flag officer in the Indian Navy. He served as the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff from 1987 to 1989. Prior to that, he served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command. He was the Commissioning Commanding Officer of the INS Rajput (D51), the lead vessel of the Rajput class destroyers. He was awarded the Nausena Medal for gallantry during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.
Hiranandani is also credited with the detailed planning of the Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala and INS Kadamba in Karwar, the foundation stones for which were laid during his tenure as flag Officer Commanding in Chief Southern Naval Command. During his tenure all Naval Training was centralized under the southern Naval Command. A brilliant tactician, his work remains pivotal to Indian naval training on maneuvers and operational tactics.
After retirement, Hiranandani served on the Union Public Service Commission. Later, he was appointed the Official Historian of the Indian Navy. He authored three landmark books on Indian naval history, Transition to Triumph, Transition to Eminence and Transition to Guardianship. These books covered the history of the Indian Navy from 1965 to 2000.