Former Navy Chief Admiral Sushil Kumar passed away early morning on Wednesday at the Army's Research and Referral Hospital here due to illness. He was 79. A specialist in hydrography and amphibious warfare, he was Navy Chief between 1998 and 2001 and oversaw naval operations during the Kargil conflict of 1999.
He recently authored a book "A Prime Minister to Remember- Memories of a Military Chief" on Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in which termed he called the conflict as Vajpayee's "finest hour" and credited him for turning a "strategic tactical loss into a massive victory."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the former Navy chief's demise, saying Kumar contributed towards strengthening the country's maritime security.
"Admiral Sushil Kumar will be remembered for his great service to the nation. He contributed to the strengthening of our maritime security. Anguished by his demise. May his soul rest in peace," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted quoting Modi.
Known for his strategic thinking, Kumar had pushed for significantly expanding Indian Navy's presence in the Indian Ocean Region. He was also part of the high-level group devising strategy during the Kargil war in 1999.
Kumar was Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC) when India had planned Operation Parakram in the wake of the terror attack on Indian Parliament in 2001. The CoSC comprises the Army, Navy and IAF chiefs.