IDU has great pleasure in Posting a brief book review of a book on Admiral Bhaskar Soman: A Profile in Leadership By Admiral S P Govil who retired as VCNS. The book is by a Sapper Officer of the Indian Army Author Maj Gen Shashikant Pitre who retired in Pune to bring home the life and times of India's Second Indian CNS.

Like Admiral SP Govil IDU (Cmde Ranjit B Rai ) too briefly served as Flag Sub Lt to this fine officer and a Gentleman, and got to know him well as one of the best well wishers of the Indian Navy dedicated to make India proud of its small Navy. Regretably in 1965 war by an order related on this web site CNS Soman was ordered by HS Sarin a Secretary in MOD to not take part in the war and not to operate above Porbunder. The Government had never known how to use the Navy in war a repeat on 1962 when the Government did not know how to employ the IAF and claim it was done on US advice. All events of Soman's professional and personal life. Credit to the Army Author has been honest and related naval events helped by Admiral MP Awati and former CNS Adm JG Nadkarni with pictures.

A good example is on page 229 when the DSSC under Comandant Maj Gen Sam Manekshaw were on cruise in 1961 with the Indian Navy an event looked forward to as the Navy was always in good spirits and severed better and anchored at Karwar for the evening cocktails. QUOTE In Adm Soman's speech he mentioned he never volunterred for any course in his career and it never harmed him( Alluding to Staff Course). Then gen Sam strode to a Grating and in his thanks speech added, " Boys I volunteered for every course in my life and the results are there to see'. The book is a must bedside read for Navy and others.

The Book Review by Vice Admiral SP Govil

The author deserves credit for putting together this biography of Admiral Soman covering every facet of his life in such detail. Although bits and pieces of his naval career can be found in the History of the Indian Navy and other such publications, very little is known about his early and personal life. This book fills that void.

The author covers Bhaskar Somans's early days on the training ship Dufferin and his rise from young Midshipman to Commodore with his accomplishments. His carrier graph would be the envy of any officer. He was a very proud Indian and took no nonsense from anyone. His sailors and juniors loved him for this. Likewise his personal life, in spite of an early tragedy always remained a very happy one.

I had personally known the Somans only marginally as Mrs Soman's brother, was my term mate. The then Commodore struck me as a down to earth man. As the author amply brings out, hailing from a humble family in Belgaum, young Soman needed grit and determination to adapt to a very different environment and cope with unfamiliar surroundings. Bhaskar Soman displayed these in abundant measure. To quote the author "A mischievous and unsophisticated lad from downtown Belgaum had realized his dream purely by dint of his will power and hard work".

On completion of my assignment as Flag Lieutenant to Rear Admiral Chakraverti (Adm Soman's predecessor as Fleet Commander) I was requested by Admiral Soman to serve on his staff for a few months. It was during this period that I got to know the admiral and the family well. An honest, down to earth man, of simple habits, who had the ability to laugh at himself. This invariably put people around him at ease. He always put "service before self" and was known to be fair in his dealings. The author amply covers this in the Chapter "An officer and a Gentleman".

In 1965 Admiral Soman as CNS again asked me to serve on his personal staff. This was also the time of 1965 war with Pakistan, a difficult one for the Navy as at Government's insistence and much against Admiral Soman's vehement protests the Navy was assigned a limited role. However, persistent efforts by CNS in pushing for Soviet ships and submarines and construction of a new dock at Vishakhapatnam from 1964 till his retirement did yield results though after his time.

Another fact not well known is Admiral Soman's decision to proceed on six month's leave prior to completion of his tenure. This was done by him to enable Admiral Chatterji to succeed him or else he would have had to retire. Not many would have done this.
The author needs to be commended on his style of writing which is easy and smooth flowing and the book makes an interesting reading.

NB: There is only one small error in regard to Admiral Chakraverti (not Chakravarty) - sadly he retired as a Rear Admiral and not as Vice Admiral as mentioned in the book (Index page 286).

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