ONE: A Momento from An SL Army Officer
Lieut Commander Shanti Bahar was the son of late Col. BJH Bahar from the CLI and his wife was a German lady. Being of mixed parentage his natural interests were in outdoor life. He was an excellent marksman and a superb underwater diver spending most of his time either hunting or diving whilst being in the Navy he spent most of career at the Trincomalee Naval base. He was the pioneer of the Special Forces (Boat Squadron) concept in the Navy. He died during an attack on an enemy hideout in Alankerni, Muttur, Trincomalee in 1986.
B: A Note from Retd SL Navy Commander Somasiri Devendra, 18 August 2022
In 1961/62 I saw Shanti as a 8-9 year old boy whose father lived close to the Navy camp. He was already adept with his air rifle at that age. Ten years later, when I was recruiting young officer cadets, his application turned up and it was a fabulous CV. “Why did he not join the Army?” I wondered. I found that internal Army politics had a credo that Budge Bahar’s son would be blacklisted at Defence Ministry level. So, I took the application form to the Captain of the Navy who said, “Take him, of course, but why are you showing me this?” I told him to watch out at the Ministry. Good man, he dug in his heels and said, “No Bahar? Then, I don’t want any other cadets!”. The PM backed him and Shanti was in. I had no more to do with him – no training, no moulding – but I am glad to have been able to get him into the Navy and for the Navy to have had him.
I keep in touch with his wife, daughter of my senior officer, Capt. Wahid, a fine man. 
ADDENDUM 21 August 2022, A SNIPPET from Dr Kamal Magdon Ismail, Ex SLN:
REFERENCES
- Michael Roberts: “The SBS Marine Commandoes of the Sri Lankan Navy,” 13 April 2021, ……………………………………….. https://thuppahis.com/2021/04/13/the-sbs-marine-commandos-of-the-sri-lankan-navy/
- Thuppahi: “Cedric Martensteyn and the SBS Arrow Boats,” 19 April 2021, …. ……………………………………………. https://thuppahis.com/2021/04/19/cedric-martensteyn-and-the-sbs-arrow-boats/
- https://slprotectanddefend.wordpress.com/2015/01/28/a-soldiers-farewell/
- https://www.sundayobserver.lk/2019/06/09/spectrum/magnificent-marines
I serendipitously googled Shanti Bahar and came upon this blog. My father was an American Naval Officer and good friends with Budge Bahar. As a young kid in 1958 -1960 I would go hunting with my father and Budge, and we would visit the Bahar’s up at their place at an army base up in the mountains. I can say the name but cannot spell it. It was there that I met Shanti. I was 11 at the time and Shanti was 4 or 5 years younger and very rambunctious. My father stayed in touch with Budge and Sonya and that is how I learned of his death. Around 1978 Sonya came to visit me in the States and at some point I learned of Budge’s passing. In the 1980’s I visited Hawaii and met Shanti’s younger brother. I believe it was after that I learned of Shanti’s remarkable naval career and his death. If he was a great shot with the pellet gun I would like to claim some responsibility for that…another story. In the meantime I would love to communicate with anyone who knew him or his family
JIM: THIS IS RICHARD, SHANTHI’S YOUNGER BROTHER.
HOW CAN I REACH YOU?
Richard Bahar
richardbahar@yahoo.com
EMAIL NOTE in mid-September 2024:
“”I have memories of Shanthi Bahar from around mid-1970 when he, along with Keith Modder, were my crew at the Asian Regatta held in Bombay. We had to sail a 20 ft long sailboat (Seabird), one which we had never seen or sailed before! However we did well to finish first in the practice race to the utter dismay of the Indian sailors. It was all downhill from there on as the Indians sabotaged our boat in the night and we struggled to avoid finishing last in the 5 races of the championship!
Shanthi was an excellent team player and we had a lot of respect for the way he helped control an unfamiliar boat.”
Asita TENNAKOON to … Ranjith SIRIMANNE
It was when I was in 2nd grade that I first realized I had a first name—Shanti. I wasn’t very thrilled about it at the time because it sounded like a girl’s name. As I grew older, I learned that I was named after a Navy officer whom my father deeply respected. Later, I found out his full name was Shanti Bahar, and I became curious about who he was and what he was like.
My father didn’t share much details about him except for the fact that he admired him greatly.
Years later, when I was in my 20s, I met someone with the same surname. As our conversation unfolded, I discovered he was Shanti Bahar’s son, Kashan. Through Kashan, I eventually met Aunt Karen, Shanti Bahar’s widow. She already knew about me and that my father had named me after her late husband. I was surprised we hadn’t met sooner—they were such kind and warm people.
On my second meeting with Aunt Karen, she handed me a small note and told me to open it when I got home. Inside, she had written the full name of the late Shanti Bahar.
During a recent visit to the Trincomalee Naval Base, I discovered they had established a Sailing Club in his memory. It was a deeply moving moment, and I felt a sense of pride and connection to the legacy of the man whose name I share.