AFVOA Newsletter May 2020

Section 1-Messages Newsletter No. 1 / 2020 P a g e 6 | 101 Know Your Patron Lt Gen C Sundara Rao, PVSM (Retd ) General C Sundara Rao, now nearing 98 years, was born on 29 August 1922. His father was a Barrister-at-Law and practiced at the Madras High Court. The family lived on Luz Church Road, Mylapore, Madras. He joined the College of Engineering (CEG) Guindy, Madras in 1939 and completed the course—that was truncated by 4 months due to World War II—in December 1942 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Earlier that year, he was selected on- campus as one of 25 candidates to join the Indian Army. In the final interview at Secunderabad, he was one of the 13 who was ultimately selected. After initial training in the Officers' Training School (OTS), Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, he was commissioned in 1943 as a Second Lieutenant, initially in the Ordnance Mechanical Engineers (OME), and later drafted to the newly formed Corps of Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (EME). During the war, he saw active service in the Eastern Sector. He volunteered to become a paratrooper and had the privilege of wearing the paratrooper's maroon beret and 'para wings' as part of his uniform. The General held several prestigious positions during his tenure. In 1948, he was selected to attend the 1st course of the newly established Staff College (now Defence Services Staff College), Wellington, Nilgiris. Later in 1955, he was sent on deputation to the Indian Stores Department, High Commission of Indian London and served there until 1958. In 1966, he was selected to attend the 6th course at the National Defence College, New Delhi. During his service with the Indian Army, he was rapidly promoted and became a Lieutenant General at record breaking age of 47. As this point, he became the Director (now Director General) of the Corps of EME.