Navy Commander who worked for environment dies

New Delhi, September 5

Indian Navy Commander Sureshwar Dhari ‘Willy’ Sinha (retd), (88) who turned into a regarded environmentalist post his stint in the Navy, died in New Delhi on Sunday.

He was associated with save-the-rivers programme. In the 1990s, Commander Sinha filed a PIL in court to compel the government to evolve an effective policy to save the Ganga and Yamuna and was Chairman of Pani Morcha, an NGO. He is survived by his three daughters and a son.

Commissioned in the Navy in January 1954 and trained in the UK, he was the first fleet electronic warfare officer of the Navy. Part of the commissioning crew of the Petya anti-submarine ships acquired from the former USSR, he was the Commanding Officer of INS Kadmatt.