Bot at 20:50, 18 September 2022

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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Short description|Indian naval officer (1924–2021)}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific prefix = [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| name = M. R. Schunker
| honorific suffix = [[PVSM]], [[AVSM]]

| birth_date = {{birth date|1924|9|18|df=y}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2021|01|04|1924|09|18}}
| birth_place =
| death_place =
| placeofburial =

| image = File:VAdm M R Schunker.jpg
| caption =
| nickname = Dick

| allegiance = {{flag|British India}} (1943–1947) {{flag|India}} (from 1947)
| branch = {{navy|British India}} {{navy|India}} {{coast guard|India}}
| serviceyears = 1943–1984
| rank = [[File:British_Royal_Navy_(sleeves)_OF-8.svg|23px]] [[File:13-Indian_Navy-VADM.svg|23px]] [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]
| commands = [[Indian Coast Guard]] [[Eastern Naval Command]] [[Western Fleet (India)|Western Fleet]] [[INS Valsura]] INS Kunjali {{ship|INS|Amba|A54}} {{ship|INS|Rana|D115}}
| unit =
| battles = [[World War II]]
| awards = [[File:Param_Vishisht_Seva_Medal_ribbon.svg|20px]] [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]] [[File:Ati_Vishisht_Seva_Medal_ribbon.svg|20px]] [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
| relations =
| laterwork =
}}

[[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]] '''Melville Raymond Schunker''', [[PVSM]], [[AVSM]] (18 September 1924 – 4 January 2021) was a flag officer in the [[Indian Navy]]. He served as the third [[Director General of the Indian Coast Guard]], which he led from 1982 to 1984. He also served as the 6th [[Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Vice Chief of the Naval Staff]] (VCNS) from 1980 to 1982. He was the commissioning commanding officer of the Indian Navy's only [[submarine tender]] ship {{ship|INS|Amba|A54}}.

== Naval career ==
=== Early career ===
Schunker joined the Royal Indian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RINVR) as a [[midshipman]] in November 1943.<ref>{{cite web|title=(631) – Navy lists > Bimonthly > 1944 > April > Volume 1 – British Military lists – National Library of Scotland|url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/93289534|website=digital.nls.uk}}</ref> He was promoted to the rank of [[sub-lieutenant]] on 13 May 1944.<ref>{{cite web |title=(1139) – Navy lists > Quarterly > 1945 > January > Volume 2 – British Military lists – National Library of Scotland|url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/93412950 |website=digital.nls.uk}}</ref> He served onboard auxiliary patrol vessels as well as minesweepers.<ref name="PIB Bio - DGICG">{{cite web|title=ADMIRAL M R SCHUNKER TAKES OVER AS NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL COAST GUARD|url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1982-JAN-JUNE-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1982-04-02_157.pdf|website=archive.pib.gov.in|date=2 April 1982}}</ref> After the war, he was selected for a permanent commission in the [[Royal Indian Navy]]. He was commissioned a lieutenant on 18 March 1947.<ref name="AVSM bio">{{cite book|title=Sainik Samachar|publisher=Director of Public Relations, Ministry of Defence|edition=Volume 17, Issues 1–26}}</ref>

=== Post-Independence ===
Schunker was promoted lieutenant-commander on 18 March 1955.<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Navy Branch) |page=89 |date=30 April 1955 |url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1955/O-2198-1955-0018-100716.pdf|publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> In 1956, the [[Crown Colony-class cruiser]] {{ship|HMS|Nigeria|60}} was being refitted and modernised in [[Birkenhead]], [[Liverpool]], to be commissioned as {{ship|INS|Mysore|C60}}. The ''Mysore'' was to be commanded by Captain [[Sardarilal Mathradas Nanda|S. M. Nanda]] and Schunker was part of the [[Ship commissioning|commissioning]] crew as the gunnery officer.{{sfn|Singh|1991|p=78}} After serving on the ship for about two years, he was posted to the Gunnery School in Cochin. The long gunnery course was conducted in India for the first time and Schunker was the course officer.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Gunnery School – My Alma Mater|page=113|journal=Quarterdeck: The Navy Foundation Magazine}}</ref>

In 1960, Schunker was promoted to the rank of [[commander]] and appointed [[commanding officer]] of the [[Q and R-class destroyer|R-class destroyer]] {{ship|INS|Rana|D115}}.<ref name="PIB Bio - DGICG" /> He then moved to Naval Headquarters as the Deputy Director Naval Plans. After a short stint, in December 1961, he was appointed Fleet Operations Officer to the [[Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet|Flag Officer Commanding Indian Fleet]], [[Rear admiral (India)|Rear Admiral]] [[Bhaskar Sadashiv Soman]]. Schunker was then selected to attend the [[Joint Service Defence College|Joint Service Staff College]] in [[Latimer, Buckinghamshire]].<ref name="AVSM bio"/>

In 1967, the submarine arm of the Indian Navy was formed with the commissioning of {{ship|INS|Kalvari|S23}} in December 1967. Three other submarines – {{ship|INS|Khanderi|1968|2}}, {{ship|INS|Karanj|S21|2}} and {{ship|INS|Kursura|S20|2}} were also to be acquired from the [[Soviet Union]] and the 8th Submarine squadron was to be formed. To support these submarines, the Navy also acquired a modified [[Ugra-class submarine tender]].{{sfn|Singh|1991|p=217}} Schunker was appointed the [[ship commissioning|commissioning]] [[commanding officer]] of the ship. The tender was commissioned on 28 December 1968 at [[Odessa]]. As the CO, Schunker read the commissioning warrant and ordered the colours to be hoisted. Three days later, on 31 December 1968, he was promoted to the rank of [[Captain (Indian Navy)|Captain]].<ref>{{cite web |title=NAVAL PROMOTIONS |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1968-MAY-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1968-12-31_319.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=31 December 1968}}</ref> He led the ship in the sea trials off Odessa and brought her home to India in March 1969.<ref name="QD 2014">{{cite web |title=Quarterdeck 2014|url=https://www.navyfoundationmumbaicharter.in/doc/Quarterdec14.pdf|website=navyfoundationmumbaicharter.in}}</ref> For his command of ''Amba'', Schunker was awarded the [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]] on 26 January 1970.<ref name="AVSM">{{cite web|title=GALLANTRY AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS FOR DEFENCE PERSONNEL|url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1970-JAN-DEC-AWARDS/PDF/DEF-1970-01-25_004.pdf|website=archive.pib.gov.in|date=25 January 1970}}</ref>

Schunker then commanded the Provost headquarters in Mumbai – INS Kunjali. He was promoted to the rank of [[Commodore (rank)|Commodore]] and appointed commanding officer of the Electrical engineering school INS Valsura in Jamnagar.<ref>{{cite web|title=Commanding Officer {{!}} insvalsura|url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/insvalsura/content/commanding-officer|website=indiannavy.nic.in}}</ref> In September 1972, he was selected to attend the [[National Defence College (India)|National Defence College]] (NDC). He attended the NDC course from January to December 1973.<ref name="NDC">{{cite web|title=FOUR NAVAL OFFICERS FOR NDC COURSE|url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1972-JUNE-DEXC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE-PART-II-/PDF/DEF-1972-09-17_113.pdf|website=archive.pib.gov.in|date=17 September 1972}}</ref> After completing the course, he was appointed Chief of Staff (COS) of the [[Western Naval Command]] in Mumbai.<ref name="FOCWF">{{cite web|title=NEW CHIEF FOR WESTERN FLEET |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1976-JAN-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1976-03-03_067.pdf|website=archive.pib.gov.in|date=3 March 1976}}</ref>

=== Flag rank ===
After two years as COS of the Western Naval Command, Schunker was promoted to the acting rank of [[Rear admiral (India)|rear admiral]] and appointed [[Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet]] (FOCWF).<ref>{{cite web|title=NEW SENIOR NAVAL APPOINTMENTS|url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1976-JAN-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1976-02-28_054.pdf|website=archive.pib.gov.in|date=28 February 1976}}</ref> He took over from Rear Admiral [[Rustom K. S. Ghandhi]] on 3 March 1976. As the FOCWF, he flew his flag on his old ship ''Mysore''.<ref name="FOCWF"/> After a year-long stint heading the [[Western Fleet (India)|Western Fleet]], he relinquished command, handing over to Rear Admiral [[Manohar Prahlad Awati|M. P. Awati]]. In late 1977, he took over as the [[Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff]] at Naval HQ.<ref name="PIB Bio - FOCINC ENC">{{cite web|title=ADMIRAL SCHUNKER TO HEAD EASTERN NAVAL COMMAND|url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1978-JAN-MAR-MIN-OF-DEFENCE-PART-I/PDF/DEF-1978-02-02_113.pdf|website=archive.pib.gov.in|date=2 February 1978}}</ref> In early 1978, he was promoted to the rank of [[Vice Admiral (India)|vice admiral]] and appointed Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief [[Eastern Naval Command]] at Visakhapatnam. He assumed command from Vice Admiral [[S. H. Sarma]] on 2 February 1978.<ref>{{cite web|date=2 February 1978|title=Admiral Schunker to Head Eastern Naval Command|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1978-JAN-MAR-MIN-OF-DEFENCE-PART-I/PDF/DEF-1978-02-02_113.pdf|access-date=5 February 2020|publisher=Press Information Bureau of India – Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=1 April 1980|title=Vice Admiral Schunker Takes Over as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff |url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1980-JAN-JUNE-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1980-04-01_126.pdf|access-date=6 February 2020|publisher=Press Information Bureau of India – Archive}}</ref>

After a two-year stint, in 1980, he relinquished command of the Eastern Naval Command, handing over to Vice Admiral [[M. K. Roy]] and moved to Naval HQ. On 1 April 1980, he took over as the [[Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Vice Chief of the Naval Staff]].<ref name="PIB BIO - VCNS">{{cite web|title=VICE ADMIRAL SCHUNKER TAKES OVER AS VICE CHIEF OF THE NAVAL STAFF |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1980-JAN-JUNE-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1980-04-01_126.pdf|website=archive.pib.gov.in|date=1 April 1980}}</ref> On 26 January 1981, he was awarded the [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]] for distinguished service of the most exceptional order.<ref name="PVSM">{{cite web|title=GALLANTRY AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS FOR DEFENCE PERSONNEL |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1981-JAN-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1981-01-25_042.pdf|website=archive.pib.gov.in|date=25 January 1981}}</ref>

=== DGICG ===
The [[Indian Coast Guard]] (ICG) came into being on 19 August 1978. The new service was to function under the overall command and control of a Director General (DGICG).<ref>{{cite web|title=COAST GUARD TO BE FORMED IN AUGUST|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1978-APR-AUG-MIN-OF-DEFENCE-PART-2/PDF/DEF-1978-06-29_121.pdf|website=pibarchive.nic.in|date=29 June 1978}}</ref> On 1 April 1982, Schunker took over as the third [[Director General of the Indian Coast Guard]] (DGICG), succeeding Vice Admiral [[Swaraj Parkash]].<ref name="DGICG">{{cite web|title=ADMIRAL SCHUNKER TAKES OVER AS NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL COAST GUARD|url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1982-JAN-JUNE-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1982-04-02_157.pdf|website=archive.pib.gov.in|date=2 April 1982}}</ref> Under him, the coast guard entered the air age. No. 800 Coast Guard Air squadron with [[Aérospatiale_Alouette_III#India|Chetak]] helicopters was commissioned on 22 May 1982.<ref>{{cite web|title=COAST GUARD AIR SQUARON COMMISSIONED|url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1982-JAN-JUNE-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1982-05-22_224.pdf|website=archive.pib.gov.in|date=22 May 1982}}</ref> Also, during his tenure, five ships were commissioned including the first indigenously built offshore patrol vessels (OPV). After a two-year stint, he retired after handing over the command of the Coast Guard to Vice Admiral S. Jain in 1984.<ref>{{cite web|title=VICE ADMIRAL M. R. SCHUNKER DIRECTOR GENERAL COAST GUARD RETIRES|url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1984-JAN-JUNE-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1984-03-30_123.pdf|website=archive.pib.gov.in|date=30 March 1984}}</ref>

== Post-retirement ==
After his retirement, Schunker and his wife Anne moved to Goa. He resided in the Defence Colony in [[Porvorim]] in North Goa.<ref>{{cite web|title=String of burglaries in Goa defence colony has war veterans worried|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/string-of-burglaries-in-goa-defence-colony-has-war-veterans-worried-6587224/|publisher=The Indian Express|date=8 September 2020}}</ref>

He died on 4 January 2021, aged 96.<ref>[https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/former-vice-chief-of-naval-staff-passes-away-at-96-7132809/lite/ Former Vice-Chief of Naval Staff passes away at 96]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{citation|first1=Satyindra|last1=Singh|title=Blueprint to bluewater: The Indian Navy, 1951–65|year=1991|isbn= 978-8170621485|publisher=Lancer International}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Rustom K. S. Ghandhi]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet]]|years=1976-1977}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Manohar Prahlad Awati]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[N. P. Datta]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff]]|years=1977–1978}}
{{s-aft|after=D. S. Paintal}}
{{S-bef|before=[[S. H. Sarma]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command]]|years=1978–1980}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Mihir K. Roy]]}}
{{s-bef|rows=2|before=[[Swaraj Parkash]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Vice Chief of the Naval Staff]]|years=1980–1982}}
{{s-aft|after=S. L. Sethi}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Director General of the Indian Coast Guard]]|years=1982–1984}}
{{s-aft|after=S. Jain}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schunker, M. R.}}
[[Category:1924 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian Navy admirals]]
[[Category:Vice Chiefs of Naval Staff (India)]]
[[Category:Directors General of the Indian Coast Guard]]
[[Category:Flag Officers Commanding Western Fleet]]
[[Category:Royal Indian Navy officers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
[[Category:National Defence College, India alumni]]

M. R. Schunker - Revision history

Bot at 20:50, 18 September 2022