He was born on 28 April 1930 at Chengelpet in Tamil Nadu. He joined the Madras Christian College only to leave it before receiving a degree.
Subsequently, he graduated from the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) at Wellington, Tamil Nadu. He also studied at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth in the US, and the National Defence College in New Delhi. He held an Master of Arts in International Studies from Allahabad University and an M.Sc. in Defence Studies from Madras University.
He had married Padma Sundarji when he was a Major serving with the MAHAR Regiment, an infantry Unit in the Indian Army. Padma spent the best years of her life giving him company throughout his various postings. When he was serving as General Officer Commanding (GOC), XXXIII Corps in Eastern command, she died at Army Hospital, Delhi Cantt in 1978, of cancer. He had two children, Pria and Vikram, from this marriage. Later, he married for the second time.
General Krishnaswami Sundarji, PVSM
(01 Feb 1985 to 31 May 1988)
1. General Sundarji was born on 30th Apr 1928 and was Commissioned into 2 MAHAR in April 1946.
2. A graduate of Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) at Wellington he also attended the General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth (USA) in 1967-68 and subsequently the Senior Officers Preventive Maintenance Course at Fort Knox (USA). He was also a graduate of NDC, New Delhi .
3. General Sundarji held a number of coveted staff and instructional appointments with distinction. He was Brigade Major of an Indian Independent Brigade Group Congo in 1962-63 as part of UN Peace Keeping Force where he was awarded Mentioned - in - Despatches and Brigadier General Staff (BGS) of a Corps in Eastern Sector.
4. He commanded a mountain Brigade, an Infantry Division, an Armoured Division and a Corps. He was the Commandant, College of Combat and later General Officer Commanding - in - Chief, Western Command. He was Vice Chief