24th Admiral RD Katari Memorial Lecture

24th Admiral RD Katari Memorial Lecture

The 24th Admiral RD Katari Memorial Lecture titled 'A National Security Strategy for India and the Maritime Domain' was delivered this evening (16 Jan 15) by Shri Shyam Saran, Chairman, Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) and Chairman, National Security Advisory Board (NSAB)onwards at Dr DS Kothari Auditorium, DRDO Bhawan, Dalhousie Raod, New Delhi. The speaker, Shri Shyam Saran, is a career diplomat whose career spanned 34 years in the IFS and held the post of Foreign Secretary from 2004 to Sep 2006.

Admiral RK Dhowan, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC Chief of the Naval Staff presided over the function. Mrs Lalita Ramdas daughter of Late Admiral RD Katari, Admiral L Ramdas along with a large number of dignitaries from the Ministry of Defence, the academia, think tanks and the diplomatic corps attended the function.

Background

Navy Foundation (NF) is an organization of retired naval officers with the Chief of Naval Staff as its President. The 15 branches of NF pan India, apart from networking the veterans' community to harness their efforts towards nation building, also undertake philanthropic work and conduct activities to generate awareness on maritime issues. Towards this, the Navy Foundation Delhi Chapter conduct an annual lecture by eminent speakers in memory of late Admiral RD Katari.

Admiral RD Katari, the first Indian to be Chief of the Naval Staff (22 Apr 1958 to 04 Jun 1962) is widely admired and much loved for the challenge he undertook at the young age of 47 years to integrate the best practices of Royal Navy and lay the foundation of modern Indian Navy. He is also remembered for his pioneering work and strategic vision in providing the fledgling Indian Navy a firm push towards self-reliance and indigenisation, and in formulating the blue print for the strong force the Indian Navy has become today. Admiral RD Katari settled in Secunderabad after his retirement (at the age of 51 years) and served as the Chairman of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) from Dec 62 to May 64. Thereafter, he was appointed as India's Ambassador to Burma for five years.