Naval Officer, Gynaecologist and singer who is graceful, glorious and whose golden voice and persona is magnetic, magical and healing.
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.”- Plato
Elegance and grace come naturally to Rear Admiral (Retd.) Dr Nirmala Kannan who is a rare Naval Officer, Surgeon and singer, whose life story and rise to glory is inspirational and her golden voice is magnetic, magical, and healing.
Where it began… The Menon sisters as schoolgirls would rush home to listen to Radio Ceylon, write down lyrics, and sing along as the songs played.Rear Admiral Dr Nirmala Kannan grew up in the Services as the daughter of an Army Colonel and attended Bishop Cotton Girls’ School, Bengaluru.
An MD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology from Mumbai University, she is also an MSc in Defence Studies, having graduated from the Defence Services Staff College at Wellington. She was the first lady officer from all three wings of the armed forces to get into the prestigious National Defence College at New Delhi.
During her Naval career spanning 37 years, Nirmala Kannan was the recipient of two Presidential medals, the Vishist Seva Medal in 1993 and the Nau Sena Medal in 2012.
She commanded the premier hospital Asvini of the Indian Navy at Mumbai and also, was the first woman officer to command the Naval Hospitals of both the Eastern Naval Command and the Western Naval Command.
She was chosen to mentor the first batch of women officers, who were inducted into the non-medical branches of the Indian Navy for the first time in Indian history in 1992, and received her first Presidential Award for this distinguished service.
Touching lives …An ardent music lover ever since her childhood, she continued her passion while in uniform too, and has been part of a few Naval Symphonic Band Concerts at New Delhi and Mumbai.
Following the pandemic, her husband Vice Admiral (Retd) B Kannan suggested she start a YouTube channel. His encouragement was not surprising, considering it was Nirmala’s music that first brought them together so many decades ago. Her YouTube channel has been widely viewed (3.96k subscribers) and has presently over 60 cover songs. Apart from music, she is also a visual artist and enjoys golf, outdoor activities, and travel with her husband, Vice Admiral (Retd) Bhagatheswaran Kannan
Reaching out… “I’ve always loved to sing, and I’m really happy that I get to do it for a cause,” says Nirmala, adding that she has lent her voice to the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Fund in Coimbatore, the National Defence Fund in Kochi, she has performed in Colombo, Kolkata, Delhi. She has done a charity show for children with special needs in Thiruvananthapuram and most recently at Bengaluru to raise funds for the professional development of teachers on behalf of “The Teacher Foundation”. Nirmala says it was in Pune that she first went up on a stage to sing at the age of four. Throughout her childhood, college, and medical school, and while working in different parts of the country, she continued to sing. She believes it keeps her young at heart, and after retiring from the Indian Navy, Nirmala joined a group of singers. Her favourite covers among others, are by Joan Baez, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Lynn Anderson, Cliff Richard, Engelbert Humperdinck, Tina Turner, ABBA, Neil Diamond the list goes on…
Coorg will soon have the privilege and pleasure of listening to the melodious voice of Rear Admiral (retd) Dr Nirmala Kannan, on September 08,2024 5.00 to 7.00 pm at Lion’s School Auditorium Gonikoppal at the charity concert ‘Making A Difference’ organised by Lions Club Gonikoppal for Cheshire Homes India Coorg Pollibetta.
Rear Admiral (Retd.) Dr. Nirmala Kannan now 71, a mother and grandmother has a clear message to give ‘Retirement is not the end of the road. Age is just a number. Follow your passion, live life to the fullest, make a difference, enjoy every moment, and make it count until the last beat of your heart.’
