who is General S Padmanabhan

1.     Born on 5th Dec 1940, General S Padmanabhan was commissioned in the Regiment of Artillery on 13th Dec 1959.   He served as Instructor Gunnery at School of Artillery , Deolali and attended the Staff Course at DSSC, Wellington in 1973.  He commanded an Independent Light Battery from Aug 1975 to Jul 1976, and then commanded a Mountain Regiment from Sep 1977 to Mar 1980.  He served as Colonel General Staff of a Mountain Division from Jan 1983 to May 1985 and was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal. 2.     The General Officer commanded an Independent Artillery Brigade and a Mountain Brigade before attending the prestigious NDC course at Delhi .  He commanded an Infantry Brigade from Dec 1988 to Feb 1991 at Ranchi and Punjab and then was appointed as General Officer Commanding of an Infantry Division in Punjab from Mar 1991 to Aug 1992.  He served as Chief of Staff, Corps from Sep 1992 to Jun 1993 and commanded Corps from Jul 1993 to Feb 1995 where he was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM).  He held the appointment of Director General Military Intelligence (DGMI) after the successful culmination of which he took over the challenging command of the Northern Army followed by Southern Army before assuming command of the Indian Army on 1st Oct 2000.

3.     The General Officer is a prolific writer and has authored two books titled 'The Writing on the Wall, India Checkmates America-2017' and 'A General Speaks'. The General presently resides in Chennai.

who is General VP Malik

1.     General VP Malik was born on 1st Nov 1939 at Dera Ismail Khan, NWFP, now in Pakistan . Alumni of the National Defence Academy , Khadakwasla and the Indian Military Academy , Dehradun, he was commissioned into 3 SIKH LI on 7th Jun 1959. He commanded Infantry Brigade in Jammu & Kashmir where he was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM). 2.     In Dec 1989, he was appointed General Officer Commanding, Mountain Division and in Aug 1992, he assumed command of Corps in Punjab, where he oversaw anti-militancy operations in the state.

3.     In Jul 1995, he was appointed General Officer Commanding -in- Chief Southern Command before moving to Army Headquarters as Vice Chief of Army Staff in August 1996.  He was decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) in 1996.  4.     He assumed the charge of Indian Army as the 19th Chief of Army Staff on 1st Oct 1997. Concurrently with the appointment, he took over as Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee of India with effect from 1st Jan 1999.  He coordinated and oversaw the planning and execution of Operation Vijay to successfully defeat Pakistan's attempted intrusion in Kargil sector during May to Jul 1999.   5.     He was felicitated with the 'Excellence in Leadership' award by the Atur Foundation, Pune and also the `Distinguished Fellowship' of the Institute of Directors, New Delhi in 1999. The Doon Citizens' Council gave him the 'Pride of the Nation' award in Jul 2000.  He was Colonel of the Sikh Light Infantry from 1990 to 1998, and continues to be Honorary Colonel of the Regiment for life.   6.     General V P Malik retired on 30th Sep 2000, and has settled in Panchkula, near Chandigarh .

who is General S Roy Chowdhury

1.     General S Roy Chowdhury, PVSM, ADC was born on 6th September 1937 at Calcutta and was educated at Calcutta and Mussorie. He joined the Joint Services Wing, Dehradun in 1953 and was commissioned into 20 Lancers on 9th June 1957. He participated in the Indo-Pak conflict in 1965 and 1971 including operations for the liberation of Bangladesh. 2.     He commanded an Independent Armoured Brigade from December 1980 to July 1983 and Armoured Division from May 1988 to May 1990. He subsequently commanded Corps in Jammu and Kashmir in 1991-92. 3.     He is a graduate of Defence Services Staff College and held several staff andinstructional appointments, including that of Director General Combat Vehicle dealing with the Indian Main Battle Tank 'Arjun'.

4.     The General Officer was awarded Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) for distinguished service and valuable contribution. He took over as General Officer Commanding - in - Chief, Army Training Command (ARTRAC) in August 1992, and was the Chief of Army Staff from 22nd Nov 94 to 30th Sep 97. 5.     Post retirement the General has taken to active politics. As a member of the Rajya Sabha he has highlighted and taken up Defence related issues with great passion and vigour in the Parliament.

who is General BC Joshi

1.     Commissioned in Dec 1954 in the Armoured Corps, General BC Joshi has held important command and staff appointments which include staff officer in the UN Force in Gaza , Brigadier General Staff in a Corps Headquarters and Military Advisor in Australia from May 1973 to October 1976. He commanded a Corps in the Eastern Sector and was also the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command.   2.     General Joshi commanded an Armoured Regiment in the Western Sector during the 1971 Indo-Pak operations. He has also commanded an Independent Armoured Brigade and an Infantry Division.

3.     General Joshi also held the appointment of Additional Director General of Perspective Planning (ADG PP) and Director General Military Operations (DGMO) at the Army Headquarters. He had three tenures as an Instructor in the Armoured Corps Centre and School Ahmednagar and was also a Directing Staff in the College of Combat , Mhow.   4.     General  B C Joshi  has been  a  recipient  of  Param  Vishisht  Seva Medal (PVSM)  and  the  Ati Vishisht Seva  Medal (AVSM)  for  distinguished  service  of  the  most exceptional order.   5.     The General officer died in harness on 19th Nov 1994

who is General SF Rodrigues

1.     Born on 19th Sep 1933 in Bombay, he was educated at St Xavier's High School, Bombay.  He joined the Joint Services Wing of the Indian Military Academy in 1949 and was commissioned in Dec 1952 into the Regiment of Artillery. In 1972, he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for distinguished service. He commanded a Mountain Brigade in high altitude sector from 1975 to 1977 and then attended the 1978 Course at Royal College of Defence Studies in the UK.  Later he commanded a Division also in a high altitude area.  He was the Chief of Staff of a Corps from 1983 to Sep 1985, and then took over as Director General Military Training (DGMT) post.  He also took over Command of a Corps in the Northern Sector.

2.     He was Vice Chief of Army Staff  from Nov 1987 to Apr 1989 and then General Officer Commanding in Chief of Central & Western Commands from Apr 1989 to Oct 1989 and from 1st Nov 89 to 30th Jun 1990 respectively. He became the Chief of Army Staff in 1990 and retired on 30th Jun 1993.    3.     The   General was Director of the International Centre, Goa for nearly six years after retirement.  He served two terms in the National Security Advisory Board.  He has been continuously engaged in social and literary pursuits and has also been delivering talks on strategic issues.  He was on the Executive Council of Goa University for seven years and in the Managing Committee of the Goa Chamber of Commerce.  He is also a long standing Member of the Goa Planning Board and in the Board of Governors of the Goa Institute of Management.  General SF Rodrigues, PVSM, VSM was appointed as the Governor of Punjab and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh on 8th Nov 2004.

who is General VN Sharma

1.     General VN Sharma belongs to a distinguished military family that has served the Armed Forces for two generations and produced three Generals. He is the younger brother of late Major Som Nath Sharma, PVC, who was awarded Independent India's first posthumous Param Vir Chakra (PVC) on 3rd   Nov 47 for the battle of Badgam in Kashmir.    2.     General Sharma was educated at Sherwood College, Nainital and Prince of Wales' Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun. He joined the 5th Regular Course at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and was commissioned on 04 Jun 1950 into the 16 Light Cavalry.  As a Major he saw action during the 1965 Indo-Pak War in the Lahore Sector. He commanded Armoured Regiment and held important staff and instructional appointments.

3.      On promotion to the rank of Brigadier, he commanded a Mountain Brigade in an insurgency affected area and was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 1977 for distinguished service. Later he commanded an Armoured Brigade in the Rajasthan desert.   4.      In 1980, he was elevated to Major General and commanded a Mountain Division in the Western Sector. He was elevated to Lieutenant General and took over command of a Corps in the Western Sector in 1984 and was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) for rendering distinguished service of the most exceptional order.   5.      General Sharma took over as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command, on 1st Jun 87. He was appointed Honorary Army ADC to the President on 25th Jul 87. General Sharma served as the Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army from 30th Jun 88 to 30th Jun 90.

who is General K Sundarji

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 of Army Staff prior to reaching the pinnacle of his career as COAS in 1986. 5.     General Sundarji conducted 'Operation Brasstacks' in Rajasthan in Dec 1986 to test new concept of mobilisation with precision. He was also awarded the PVSM in 1978 in recognition of his distinguished service of the most exception order. He passed away on 8th Feb 1999.