Jungee sails into Valhalla

(Author's Note: The following article written by me on Commodore I. J. Sharma was originally carried in Quarterdeck 2025, a Navy publication released in New Delhi in early February 2026 by the Chief of the Naval Staff. It is reproduced here with due acknowledgment for wider dissemination among readers of maritime history and naval affairs. The life and service of Commodore Sharma represent an important strand of India’s naval legacy, and we believe the narrative merits a broader audience beyond its original publication.)

Sunday, 07 September 2025, brought the sad news of the passing of Cmde Inderjit Sharma, AVSM, VrC, one of the heroes of Op Trident - the attack on Karachi, on 04 Dec, by Indian Navy - in the 1971 war. He was 89. IJ or 'Jungee' as he was popularly known was Commanding INS Nirghat that fired the first missile salvos of the war and sank PNS Khaibar. For his gallantry in the operation, he was awarded the Vir Chakra. Together Op Trident and Op Python (on 08 Dec) had knocked out the Pakistan Navy in which Nirghat's opening blow drew first blood and had a staggering impact.

Lieutenant Commander IJ Sharma receiving the Vir Chakra from President of India VV Giri

But there was more to Jungee than his splendid show in the '71 war. Having joined the Navy as a Sailor in 1954, he worked his way up through sheer professional excellence and hard work to be commissioned as an officer in September 1960, contemporary with 16th course NDA which has produced distinguished officers like Adm Sushil Kumar, VAdm Avnish Tandon, VAdm Verghese Koithara, RAdm Raja Menon and RAdm SK Das among others. Early in his career, as Commanding Officer of a small patrol boat INS Sharda, he distinguished himself when his ship rescued more than 3000 people who had been stranded by the super cyclone that hit Dhanushkodi (Tamil Nadu) in Dec 1964. For his leadership and courage, Jungee was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) during the Republic Day honours in 1966 making him, possibly, the youngest recipient of the award, at less than 30 years.  

A long G officer, Jungee tenanted various important assignments after his tenure on Nirghat. He was the Command Gunnery Officer, Eastern Naval Command, attended Staff Course in Leningrad in the erstwhile USSR, did a tenure in Naval Headquarters, was commissioning commanding Officer of INS Sindhudurg, the Nanuchka class corvette and, thereafter, he was the Officer in Charge Missile Boat Training Centre (MBTC), which gradually expanded to include training for SNRs (the Durg or Nanuchka class corvettes) and SNMs (the Pondicherry class Minesweepers) and eventually came to be known as Agnibahu 2 and was situated across the harbour at Karanja. Subsequently, he was the Commanding Officer of INS Chilka, in the early eighties, training our sailors in their formative phase. I am sure his life story in all its aspects would have been an inspiration for those who passed through its portals at that time.

Later, as a Commodore he was Command Operations and Plans Officer of ENC and headed a Directorate in New Delhi before retiring prematurely on 01 May 1986. His sterling career was also embellished by his reputation as a good singer, as a yachtsman and as the leader of Navy’s marching contingent on Republic Day 1975. The last development was particularly noteworthy as he was deemed to be clumsy in drill during his initial training days. It also illustrated his perseverance and hard work in overcoming any weaknesses. He continued his love for sea by doing almost a decade’s stint with Mazagon Docks Limited in shipbuilding and then in the private maritime sector for nearly another decade before finally calling it a day in 2004.

Variously praised for his ‘warmth as a friend, a source of joy and inspiration and an example to emulate', for his ‘indomitable determination’ and for his ‘combative, uncompromising, pugnacious nature’, as ‘someone who was a good man to work with but a little too trusting’, Jungee lived a full and rewarding life. In Jun this year, when seriously ill he fought his way out and recovered to celebrate his 89th birthday on 06 Aug.  I had the great honour of meeting him on Killers Nite in 2019 and ever since had been in occasional touch with him and his family. That meeting led to an article about him, on Navy Day 2020, in the Daily Guardian Newspaper.For a more detailed account of his life do read the piece in the link (https://defence.thedailyguardian.com/defence/jungee-the-man-who-started-the-biggest-bonfire-in-arabian-sea/)

Cmde IJ Sharma with the Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh at the felicitation of war heroes in 2021

An interesting piece of historical trivia is that Jungee, as a sailor on INS Mysore, was the coxswain of the Captain SM (Charles) Nanda, who encouraged him to study and aim to become an officer. Incidentally, both Charles Nanda and IJ Sharma had ancestral roots in Pakistan. That as an officer, many years later, Jungee played the opening act in Nanda’s grand design is testimony of destiny’s great hand. Jungee is survived by his gracious wife Rekha and three daughters Priya, Mala and Anjalika.

Cmde IJ Sharma with his family

Sail well brave Sailor. Valhalla awaits you.

Cmde Srikant Kesnur