Laxminarayan Ramdas

Ramdas was born on 5 September 1933 into a south Indian family. He is married to Lalita Ramdas (née Katari), daughter of Admiral Ram Dass Katari, the first Indian Chief of Naval Staff. He is a member of the Aam Aadmi party. His younger daughter, Kavita Ramdas, is the senior advisor to the President of the Ford Foundation and had previously served for many years as country representative of the Ford Foundation in India. Kavita Ramdas is married to Zulfiqar Ahmad, a Pakistani national who is a peace activist.[2][3]

Ramdas was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 September 1953.[4] He was promoted to lieutenant on 16 August 1955.[5] He was trained as a communication specialist in the Royal Naval Staff College in the United Kingdom. As a Commander, he went on to establish and head the Naval Academy in Kochi, Kerala, he distinguished himself for which he was awarded Vishisht Seva Medal.

Ramdas (3rd from right) with former chiefs and Admiral Robin K. Dhowan at the Conclave of Chiefs, 2015

Admiral Ramdas in Delhi in November 2016

During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, as part of the newly-formed Eastern Fleet, whilst in command of INS Beas, Admiral Ramdas took part in the most effective naval blockade of East Pakistan which frustrated Pakistan's attempt to evacuate 93,000 of their troops who eventually surrendered to the Indian Forces. INS Beas also captured a large number of ships carrying contraband to East Pakistan, bombarded Cox's Bazar and took part in the landing and other operations in an area which had been mined. He was awarded the Vir Chakra. He later commanded a Patrol Vessel Squadron in the Indian Navy.

Ramdas later served as Naval Attaché in Germany for three years. He was promoted to Rear Admiral on 1 June 1981.[6] Promoted vice-admiral on 1 April 1985,[7] he held the appointments of Director of Personnel, Director of Naval Signals and Director of Naval Operations at the Naval HQ. Other notable appointments he held were Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Operations), Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF), Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (DNCS) and Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Southern Naval Command.

After retirement, Ramdas took up residence at Alibag. He together with his wife, then devoted themselves to a variety of left-liberal causes.[8]

The couple also intervene in military matters. They were part of the group which filed a PIL in the Supreme Court of India against the appointment of the then Lt. Gen. Bikram Singh for the post of Chief of Army Staff.[9]

The couple opposed the establishment of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu. For his seminar-circuit efforts to demilitarise and denuclearize South Asia, and his efforts to prevent the building of the Kudankulam reactor, Ramdas was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for peace in 2004.[10]

Ramdas is also a keen sports person, enjoying cricket, golf and yachting.