Monty Khanna India Rear Admiral Retired Voice of the Skilled Vidped 934 Nov 2025

Monty shared his journey from joining the Navy as a second-generation naval officer to becoming a submariner, inspired by his father's work as a hydrographer and his own fascination with submarines. He described his transition at the National Defence Academy from being an Army Cadet to the Navy after excelling in yachting.

He also spoke about what motivated him to join the submarine arm. Monty emphasized the unique camaraderie and teamwork in submarine service, highlighting the intense sense of kinship among crew members. He also mentioned his experiences while training in Russia for the Kilo-class submarines. He spoke about continuing with his passion of yachting and the challenges he experienced in balancing this with his naval career.

Monty shared his experience living in Russia during the Gorbachev era, where he observed both the reforms and economic decay of the Soviet Union while commissioning a submarine. He described his career progression, including his time as an instructor at the NDA and participation in Asian Sailing Championships, where he won silver and bronze medals. Monty concluded by reflecting on his decision to focus on his submarine career after being advised that he could not continue balancing both sports and professional commitments.

Monty emphasized the importance of curiosity and continuous learning, advising viewers to observe, question, and learn from everyone around them. Subodh sought Monty’s thoughts on the legend of INS Kukri and the significance of remembering the 1971 war, particularly the major loss, as part of historical remembrance.

Monty shared his personal connection to the incident involving the loss of the INS Khukri, mentioning his association with Captain Mulla and his sister's friendship with his daughter, who is now a principal of a reputed school in Delhi. He discussed the tragic nature of combat losses and highlighted the honours bestowed upon Captain Mulla and his team, including a hostel for widows and numerous auditoriums named after him.

Monty also touched on the lessons learned from the incident, such as the analysis of why two ASW ships failed to detect the submarine, and mentioned ongoing efforts to honour each crew member. Subodh expressed his ambition to honour every crew member as individuals, not just as naval personnel, and mentioned a monument in Diu dedicated to the crew of the INS Khukri.

Monty shared his experiences as a naval officer, including commanding submarines, frigates and serving as a naval attaché in Washington, and discussed his post-retirement work in national security.

He spoke about his contribution in drafting India’s Arctic Policy and in setting up the office of the National Maritime Security Coordinator (NMSC).

Monty emphasized the importance of citizen responsibility in addressing societal issues and creating solutions, rather than relying solely on government action.