21 Jan 1918-06 Jul 1995

Major General Jonathan Reuben Samson Bhonkar an accomplished champion sportsman in
Rowing and Hockey and a Graduate of Poona Engineering College in Electrical and Mechanical
Engineering, joined the army in Dec 1940. He was one of the first Indian officers who were
inducted in the erstwhile Directorate of Technical Development Organization to undertake
development, inspection and evaluation of stores produced for the services by the Ordinance
Factories. His sincere & untiring efforts laid the firm foundation for the growth of the Inspection
and Development Organization in the Defence set up. Before August 1947 he held various
appointments in India and abroad including Iraq, Iran, Egypt and Greece. From 1947 to 1958 he
held the position of Assistant Chief Superintendent of Development, Superintendent of
Development and Chief Superintendent of Development and was responsible for the
development of weapons and other armament stores produced in the various ordinance factories.
During his tenure as Director of Armaments a number of new Armament Research &
Development Establishments were established and the existing ones considerably augmented to
take on the tasks from the services. He displayed dynamism and leadership in the creation of a
fully modernized Proof and Experimental Establishment for Armament stores at Balasore and a
Terminal Ballistic Research Laboratory at Chandigarh. He was responsible for initiating and
supporting a large number of development projects for strategic items which resulted in saving of
a considerable amount of foreign exchange. In August1964 he took over as Chief Controller
Research & Development. Some of the noteworthy developments since then are the creation of a
Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, Textiles and Stores and Stores Research and
Development Organization at Kanpur, Aerial Delivery Research & Development Establishment
at Agra and Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment at Manali. Due to the Constant Drive to
make the country self sufficient in defence stores the indigenization program was followed with
great vigor in the whole of the Research & Development Organization and through his effort this
organization has helped to save the country a considerable amount of foreign exchange. His
contribution in the Growth of Establishments for Electronics has also been significant and
through his support these establishments have been able to achieve breakthrough in the
development of many strategic items.
Throughout Major General Jonathan Reuben Samson Bhonkar has rendered distinguished
service of the most exceptional order

Major. General Jonathan Samson in Front Row Center- Defence Conference in Canada
Picture and write up provided by Ms. Ruth Schmidt- His daughter now in the USA.

Compiled & Edited by Nissim Moses-Bene Israel Heritage and Genealogy Research