Kochi: Former Naval Vice-Chief Admiral
(Retd) G M Hiranandani died of heart attack at Malakkara
village near Chengannur, 117 km from Thiruvananthapuram, in
Kerala`s Alappuzha district.
Hiranandani, also an eminent Naval historian, died on
Tuesday. He was 78 and is survived by a son and daughter.
His funeral was held today at Malakkara with full Naval
honours, an official press release said here today.
He had also served as Flag officer Commanding-in-Chief of
the Southern Naval Command.
Hiranandani, a gallantry award winner, joined the Indian
Navy in 1949. He had undergone extensive training in United
Kingdom with the Royal Navy at different stages of his
professional career and had served on all classes of ships
including battleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers and
destroyers.
He commissioned Navy`s first guided missile destroyer INS
Rajput in 1980. After his retirement in 1989, he served the
Union Public Service Commission for six years.
He also wrote two definitive volumes on `Indian Naval
History-Transition to Triumph` and `Transition to Eminence`
depicting the history of the Indian Navy from 1965-75 and
1976-90 respectively.
Bureau Report
