Ashwani Kumar (military officer)

Lieutenant General Ashwani Kumar, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC (born 17 Oct 1959)[1] is a former general officer in the Indian Army. He retired after 39 years of service and last served as the Adjutant General.[2]

Ashwani Kumar
PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC
Adjuntant General from 2018 to 2019
In office
27 September 2018 – 31 December 2019
PresidentRam Nath Kovind
Prime MinisterNarendra Modi
Preceded byArvind Dutta
Personal details
Born (1959-10-17) 17 October 1959 (age 65)
New Delhi
Military service
Allegiance India
Branch/service Indian Army
Years of service39 Years
Rank Lieutenant-General
Awards

Early life and education

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Kumar was born in Allahabad. He did his schooling and graduation from Dehradun. He is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington and has attended the Higher Command Course at the Army War College, Mhow at Indore, India.[3] He is also a graduate from prestigious National Defence College and has completed his Ph.D in Spirituality Management in Armed Forces. He has successfully completed Independent Directors Course from MDI Gurgaon, India. He also attended an Air Defence Missile Course in erstwhile USSR.

Military career

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Kumar is an alumnus of the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and was commissioned into the Air Defence Artillery in June 1980. He later commanded a Light Air Defence Regiment, which was actively involved in Operation Parakram. He has the distinction of commanding an infantry Brigade in Western theatre and was the Deputy General Officer Commanding of an active infantry division deployed on Line of Control in Northern Command. He commanded a division and a Corps on the Western front prior to assuming the appointment of Adjutant General in July 2017.[4] Notably, he is the first Army Air Defence Officer to have commanded a Corps and to have become a PSO at Army Headquarters. The officer has successfully tenanted various prestigious staff appointments including Brigade Major of Mountain Brigade in intense insurgency area, MGGS at a Command HQ, ADG DV at AHQ and DG DC & W at AHQ. He has done instructional appointments at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. School of Arty, Deolali and Defence Service Staff College, Wellington. He was also posted as Military Observer in UNO MIL Liberia. For his distinguished services, he has been awarded VSM in 2015, AVSM in 2017 and PVSM in 2019 and was appointed as Honorary ADC to the President on 1 January 2018.

Honours and decorations

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Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Vishisht Seva Medal Special Service Medal Operation Parakram Medal
Sainya Seva Medal High Altitude Service Medal Videsh Seva Medal 50th Anniversary of Independence Medal
30 Years Long Service Medal 20 Years Long Service Medal 9 Years Long Service Medal MONUSCO

Dates of rank

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Insignia Rank Component Date of rank
  Second Lieutenant Indian Army 07 Jun 1980[5]
  Lieutenant Indian Army 107 Jun 1982[6]
  Captain Indian Army 01 Sep 1983[7]
  Major Indian Army 07 Jun 1991[8]
  Lieutenant-Colonel Indian Army 05 Mar 1998[9]
  Colonel Indian Army 03 Oct 2000[10]
  Brigadier Indian Army 23 May 2008[11]
  Major General Indian Army 27 Dec 2012[12]
  Lieutenant General Indian Army 10 Nov 2015[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Lt Gen Ashwani Kumar is the new Adjutant General".
  2. ^ "Lt General Ashwani Kumar assumes charge as Adjutant General". 8 July 2017.
  3. ^ "Lt General Ashwani Kumar assumes charge as Adjutant General". 8 July 2017.
  4. ^ http://www.uniindia.com/lt-general-ashwani-kumar-assumes-charge-as-adjutant-general/india/news/923811.html website=http://www.uniindia.com/ publisher=United News of India accessdate=22 July 2020
  5. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 21 February 1981. p. 212.
  6. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 1 August 1981. p. 995.
  7. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 23 March 1985. p. 375.
  8. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 3 November 1990. p. 1746.
  9. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 18 May 2002. p. 811.
  10. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 25 June 2005. p. 974.
  11. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 21 February 2009. p. 254.
  12. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 19 January 2013. p. 95.
  13. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 20 December 2014. p. 2366.