Ronald Lynsdale Pereira

Pereira started his career with a six-month basic training course in Bombay. He received the King's commission as a sub-lieutenant on 25 May 1943, his 20th birthday.[5] He was asked to report to the Captain Coastal Forces, Eastern Theatre (CCFET) at HMIS Cheetah in Trombay. The Navy had quickly fitted out vessels called motor launch (ML), having a small crew of about a dozen sailors, to ensure the coastal defence. The CCFET had about 50 MLs in four flotilla which were tasked to keep at bay the might of the Japanese Navy in the Bay of Bengal.[6]

Pereira was appointed executive officer of ML 1125 in mid-1943 and a few months later took command of the vessel. In early 1944, he took command of ML 1073 and, later in the year, of ML 844.[7] After the war, he was contemplating about his career and decided to pursue a career in dentistry. In early 1946, the 56th Services Selection Board was set up at Lonavla to screen the RINR and RINVR officers for a permanent commission in the RIN. Appearing before the board, he was successful and was granted a permanent commission. He was promoted to the acting rank of lieutenant in April and posted to the River-class frigate HMIS Shamsher in the Persian Gulf. After a short stint, he took command of ML 1261 at Basra, Iraq. After around a year in command, he was selected to attend the RIN Gunnery course at HMS Excellent in Portsmouth in May 1947.[8]

Pereira returned to India in December 1948 and was appointed staff gunnery officer (West Coast), a staff appointment. He requested a sea appointment and in June 1949 was appointed gunnery officer of the Black Swan-class sloop HMIS Jumna, commanded by Commander Bhaskar Sadashiv Soman. He served on the Jumna for eighteen months. In January 1951, he was posted to the newly established Gunnery school in Cochin as an instructor.[3] He was promoted to acting rank of lieutenant commander on 30 June 1952.[9] Later that year, he was selected to attend the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. After completing the staff course, he was appointed staff officer (gunnery) at Naval headquarters on 25 August 1953.[10] He was promoted to substantive lieutenant-commander on 25 November 1953.[11]

Pereira led the naval marching contingent during the Republic Day parade on 26 January 1954. In December 1954, he was appointed gunnery officer and flotilla gunnery officer of the Black Swan-class sloop INS Cauvery (U10) and in March 1955, of the Navy's first cruiser – the Leander-class cruiser INS Delhi (C74). Delhi was under the command of Captain Benjamin Abraham Samson.[12] In May 1956, he took over as officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Gunnery School, Cochin. Later that year, he was promoted to the acting rank of commander.[13] Pereira was promoted to the substantive rank of commander on 30 June 1958,[14] and in October was appointed executive officer of INS Delhi, stationed at Bombay. He was to have a short stint as XO of Delhi, since he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and was hospitalised in February 1959. He recovered in about ten months and was appointed OIC of DEMOB centre at Bombay. In May 1961, he was appointed XO of the shore establishment INS Angre. This also included the responsibility of the naval barracks at Bombay.[15]

On 18 April 1962, Pereira was appointed commander of the 14th frigate squadron and commanding officer (CO) of the Blackwood-class Anti-submarine frigate INS Kuthar (F146). Apart from Kuthar, the squadron consisted of INS Kirpan (F144) and INS Khukri (F149).[16] Pereira was considered by the then Flag Officer Commanding Indian Fleet (FOCIF) Rear Admiral Adhar Kumar Chatterji as the best all round CO in the Indian Fleet and considered him suitable for higher sea-going commands.[17] In June 1963, Pereira was posted to Bombay as the drafting commander, tasked with the planning of expanding manpower requirements for operational and administrative efficiency of the navy. After an eighteen-month stint at Bombay, he was appointed director of weapon policy & tactics (DWPT) at Naval HQ in December 1964, with the acting rank of captain. He served in this appointment during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, although the navy had little role to play in the war. As director DWPT, he was responsible for implementing the major work-up system in the navy. He was promoted substantive captain on 30 June 1966.[18][3][19]

Pereira was appointed commanding officer of the erstwhile flagship, INS Delhi in March 1967. Under him, the Delhi won the Naval Regatta championship in 1967. Chatterji, by now CNS, praised Pereira as a born leader. After a year and a half as CO Delhi, he was appointed naval officer-in-charge (NOIC) Bombay, in December 1968. As NOIC, he was responsible for organising the Presidential Fleet Review (PFR) in 1969. 57 ships participated in the PFR led by the flagship aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, and impressed the president V.V. Giri and the event was a success. For planning and organising the PFR, Pereira was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal on 26 January 1971.[20]

In January 1971, Pereira was promoted to the rank of commodore and appointed deputy commandant (DepCom) of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune. The famous NDA ball was his brainchild, fashioned on the lies of the annual Naval Ball. A good golfer, he also ran the academy golf club. He had a memorable stint at DepCom at NDA for about three years. The commandant, Major General SD Varma, noted that Pereira was "an outstanding officer with lively personality, who is devoted to his profession."[3]

Pereira was appointed the second Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF) in February 1973. He was promoted to the acting rank of rear admiral and took command of the Eastern Fleet from Rear Admiral S H Sarma on 2 April 1973.[21][22] He flew his flag on the submarine tender INS Amba (A54) until mid-1974, when the Leopard-class frigate INS Brahmaputra (1957) became the flagship of the Eastern fleet after which his flag transferred to the frigate. Under him, the fleet exercised on the west coast as well as visited Sri Lanka for a flag-showing visit.[3]

In January 1975, Pereira was appointed flag officer commanding Southern Naval Area at Cochin.[23] After a year as FOC South, he was promoted to the rank of vice admiral on 1 March 1976 and appointed flag officer commanding-in-chief (FOC-in-C) Western Naval Command.[24][25] On 26 January 1977, while he was the FOC-in-C West, he was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service of the highest order.[26]

After a year in command of the Western Naval Command, Pereira moved to Naval HQ as the vice chief of the Naval Staff in March 1977.[27] In August 1978, he was appointed honorary ADC to the president of India.[28] During his stint as VCNS, the CNS Admiral Jal Cursetji noted that he considered him fit for promotion as CNS.[3]

With Admiral Cursetji's tenure coming to an end in early 1979, the FOC-in-C West Vice Admiral RKS Ghandhi was tipped to be the next CNS. However, in November 1978, the Government of India announced that Pereira was appointed the next chief of the Naval Staff.[3] On 1 March 1979, he took over as the tenth chief of the Naval Staff in the rank of admiral.[29] He is considered one of the architects of the modern Indian Navy.[30]