Ram Dass Katari | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 5th Indian Ambassador to Burma | |
| In office 1 June 1964 – 8 February 1969 | |
| President | S. Radhakrishnan Zakir Husain |
| Preceded by | R. S. Mani |
| Succeeded by | Baleshwar Prasad |
| 8th Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee | |
| In office 7 May 1961 – 4 June 1962 | |
| President | Rajendra Prasad S. Radhakrishnan |
| Prime Minister | Jawaharlal Nehru Gulzarilal Nanda (acting) |
| Preceded by | K. S. Thimayya |
| Succeeded by | A. M. Engineer |
| 3rd Chief of the Naval Staff (India) | |
| In office 22 April 1958 – 4 June 1962 | |
| President | Rajendra Prasad S. Radhakrishnan |
| Prime Minister | Jawaharlal Nehru Gulzarilal Nanda (acting) |
| Preceded by | S. H. Carlill |
| Succeeded by | B. S. Soman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 October 1911 Chingleput, Madras Presidency, British Raj (now in Tamil Nadu, India) |
| Died | 21 January 1983 (aged 71) Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Relations | Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas (Son-in-law) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  British India India |
| Branch/service |  Royal Indian Navy Indian Navy |
| Years of service | 1927–1962 |
| Rank |  
Admiral |
| Commands | Indian Fleet INS Rajput (D141) HMIS Kistna (U46) HMIS Cauvery (U10) |
| Battles/wars | World War II Liberation of Goa |
| Later work(s) |
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Admiral Ram Dass Katari (8 October 1911 – 21 January 1983) was an Indian Navy Admiral who served as the 3rd Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) from 22 April 1958 to 4 June 1962. He was the first Indian to hold the office and succeeded the last British officer to the post, Vice Admiral Sir Stephen Hope Carlill.
A member of the first batch of cadets to attend the Indian Mercantile Marine Training Ship Dufferin, he earned the Viceroy's gold medal and joined the Hooghly River Survey of the Calcutta Port Commissioners. In 1939, he joined the Royal Indian Naval Reserve and served on board the HMIS Sandoway. He then served at the gunnery school HMIS Dalhousie, the boys' training school HMIS Bahadur and was an instructor at HMIS Machlimar. At the end of the war, he commanded HMIS Cauvery (U10).
After the Independence of India, he commanded HMIS Kistna (U46) and the naval force during the Indian integration of Junagadh. In 1948, he served as the executive officer of the flagship HMIS Delhi (C74). Promoted to acting Captain in December 1948, he was appointed Chief of Personnel at NHQ. In 1951, he took command of the INS Rajput (D141) and the 11th Destroyer Flotilla. After attending the Imperial Defence College in 1953, he returned to India and was appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief.
In 1956, he was promoted to flag rank and appointed Flag Officer (Flotillas) Indian Fleet. After commanding the Indian fleet for two years, he was appointed Chief of the Naval Staff. He served a full term as Chief and his tenure saw the commissioning of India's first aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and the liberation of Goa. After his retirement, he served as the Chairman of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC). From 1964 to 1969, he was India's ambassador to Burma.
He had many firsts to his credit: the first Indian naval officer to attend the Imperial Defence College, in 1953; the first Indian to be promoted to flag rank in the navy, in 1956; the first Indian to command the Indian fleet, in 1956; and finally, the first to Indian to command the Navy itself, in 1958.