Hyderabad: Former Army chief General K.V. Krishna Rao (retd), who played a key role in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and was credited with modernising the Army, died in New Delhi on Saturday following a cardiac arrest. He was 92.
Gen. Rao also served as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir at a time when militancy was at its peak in the state. Commissioned into the Army on August 9, 1942, he became the 14th chief of the Army staff.
His former colleagues remembered him as a true soldier and a leader.
Lt. Gen. A. Seshagiri Rao (retd), told this newspaper, “I interacted with him regularly when he was J&K Governor and I was Chief of Staff at the Northern Command in Udhampur in 1996.
His experience helped me a lot. He was a true soldier and feared none. A true professional, he never ever indulged in gossip. “After he retired as Governor, I used to meet him in Sainikpuri (Hyderabad),” he said.
Col. Henry Bhaskar (retd) said he knew Gen. Krishna Rao since he was a Senior Colonel of the Mahar Regiment.
“He was very fond of South Indian food and culture. Though very outspoken, he used to make it a point to talk with all. He used to personally sign and hand over greeting cards to all of his subordinates,” he said.
“A man with a golden heart, he donated all his medals and trophies to the Mahar Regiment,” said Col. Bhaskar.
He recalled an incident which left all jawans motivated: Gen. Rao took the trouble of meeting them in minus 20ºC temperatures.
Gen. Rao made free rations available to all Army personnel irrespective of rank. Earlier, it was available only for Army personnel of a certain rank. “This is the least I can do for the officials,” he had said.
Condoling his death, defence minister Manohar Parrikar said in New Delhi, “the country has lost one of our best known military leaders. He was a visionary who led ably, inspired a generation of soldiers and initiated modernisation of the Indian Army in the early 1980s.”
Army chief Gen. Dalbir Singh Suhag condoled the demise of Gen. Krishna Rao.
