Legendary Vice Admiral (Retd) Manohar Pralhad Awati, who had “displayed gallantry, leadership and devotion to duty of a high order” during the operations against Pakistan in December 1971  and inspired generations of sea-goers through cirmumnavigation missions, died in his native village  of  Vinchurni in Palthan taluka of Satara district in western Maharashtra on Sunday.

When the then President Rajendra Prasad presented colours to the Indian Navy on May 27, 1951, the young Lieutenant who had been chosen to receive the colours was none other than Admiral Awati.

Vice Admiral Awati (retd) was 91. “A giant of a man, one of our tallest heroes and greatest icons. It’s truly the end of an era. May his soul RIP,” Admiral Sunil Lanba, the Chief of Naval Staff, tweeted.

Awati was the commanding officer of an Indian naval unit of the Eastern Fleet during the operations against Pakistan in December 1971. Throughout the period, he was called upon to operate within enemy waters where there was constant danger to his ship from enemy mines and submarines. Undeterred, he carried out continuous probes into the enemy defended harbours in Bangladesh and inflicted heavy damage on the enemy.

During the blockade, Awati attacked and captured three enemy ships carrying contraband goods. He also gained a submarine contact and pressed home an attack with great vigour, which possibly resulted in destruction of and damage to the submarine. Throughout, Captain Awati displayed gallantry, leadership and devotion to duty of a high order.

Mourning the death of Vice Admiral Awati (Retd), Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted: “Vice Admiral MP Awati (Retd) #PVSM, #VirChakra passed away; was the commanding officer of a naval unit of the Eastern Fleet, Dec’71. Captured three enemy ships carrying contraband goods. His actions led to destruction of an enemy submarine. An icon in naval history. My homage”.

Born on September 7, 1927, Awati had his schooling in King George’s School, Mumbai and The Maharashtra Education Society School, Pune. Having attended TS Dufferin, he was selected for the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) in November, 1945.

After his training at the Royal Naval Colleges at Dartsmouth and Greenwich, Admiral Awati also had training stints with the British Mediterranean Fleet and the Naval Specialist School at Portsmouth. 

In March, 1950, Admiral Awati returned to India for active service in the Indian Navy.

A specialist in signals communication, Admiral Awati served on Indian Navy ships INS Ranjit, INS Venduruthy, INS Delhi and INS Kistna, and later  commanded INS Betwa, INS Tir and INS Mysore.

As the Commanding Officer of INS Kamorta during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation, he was awarded  the Vir Chakra for leadership and gallantry. 

His sailing career reached its height with the  command of the sword arm of the Indian Navy, the Western Fleet.

An alumnus of the Defense Services Staff College Wellington, and the Royal College of Defense Studies, London, Admiral Awati subsequently held crucial shore appointments such as Commandant of the National Defense Academy (NDA), Chief of Personnel at the Naval Headquarters and Flag officer Commanding- in-Chief of the Western Naval Command from where he retired in March 1983.

A recipient of Param Vishishta Seva Medal (PVSM), Admiral Awati was the chairman of the Asian Games (1982) Yachting Organizing Committee. Admiral. Awati’s  love for ecology and its conservation emerged after retirement from  active service in association with the legendary Dr Salim Ali.

Sagarparikrama (from August 2009 to May 2010) which took the first Indian Solo circumnavigator around the world in an Indian built boat “MHADEI” was the single-most ambitious sea-farer’s project in the history of modern India. The project was Admiral Awati’s brain-child, and a tribute to his perseverance of nearly two decades.  

Admiral Awati was the inspiration behind the circumnavigation missions of Captain (Retd) Dilip Donde, Commander Abhilash Tomy.

It was also his dream to see a circumnavigation mission by ladies. Lt Cdr Vartika Joshi and composed of Lt Cdr Vartika Joshi, Lt Cdr Pratibha Jamwal, Lt Cdr Swati P, Lt Aishwarya Boddapati, Lt S Vijaya Devi and Lt Payal Gupta made it possible.

An avid nature lover, Admiral Awati was associated with Dr Salim Ali, the Birdman of India.

His particular love for the conservation of the Lion and the Tiger was reflected in the books he edited -- Homo Sapiens and Panthera Leo and “The Vanishing Indian Tiger”. Nature Clubs of India was yet another contribution of Admiral Awati.