N. P. Datta

Vice Admiral Nar Pati Datta, PVSM, AVSM (1 April 1922 – 10 October 2003) was an Indian Navy admiral.

Early career After taking an M.A. from Government College Lahore in 1943, Datta taught at the college as an English literature lecturer for a year. On 30 June 1944, he was commissioned a sub-lieutenant in the Royal Indian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RINVR).

Post-Independence He received a regular commission in the Indian Navy post-Independence, and was promoted substantive lieutenant-commander on 30 December 1954. He attended the Defence Services Staff College at Wellington, During his career, he specialised in torpedoes and anti-submarine warfare.

Datta successively commanded the Whitby-class frigate , the Hunt-class destroyer and the cruiser . In November, he was appointed Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (DCNS). In March 1976, he was appointed to a second tenure as DCNS,

After retiring from the Navy, Datta was appointed chairman and managing director of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in November 1977.

Post-retirement From 1994 to 1998, he served as an International Sailing Federation (ISAF) council member for South and Central Asia, and was awarded a silver medal in November 1998 "in recognition of his outstanding voluntary contribution to the sport of sailing." On 10 October 2003, he was killed in a traffic accident in Delhi when he was struck by a speeding bus.