General Vishwa Nath Sharma, PVSM, AVSM, ADC (born 4 June 1930) was the 14th Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army, serving between 1988–1990.[2] He was the first Indian COAS to have begun his career in the post-Independence Indian Army.[3]

Vishwa Nath Sharma
Official portrait
14th Chief of the Army Staff
In office
1 June 1988 – 30 June 1990
PresidentR. Venkataraman
Prime MinisterRajiv Gandhi
Vishwanath Pratap Singh
Preceded byGen Krishnaswamy Sundarji
Succeeded byGen Sunith Francis Rodrigues
19th General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command
In office
June 1987 – April 1988
PresidentGiani Zail Singh
R. Venkataraman
Prime MinisterRajiv Gandhi
Preceded byLt Gen JK Puri
Succeeded byLt Gen Raj Mohan Vohra
Chief of Army StaffGen Krishnaswamy Sundarji
Personal details
Born (1930-06-04) 4 June 1930 (age 94)
London, England
RelationsMaj Gen Amar Nath Sharma (father)
Maj Somnath Sharma (brother)
Lt Gen Surendranath Sharma (brother)
Awards Param Vishisht Seva Medal
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Nickname(s)Tich
Sunny
Military service
Allegiance India
Branch/service Indian Army
Years of service1950 – 1990
Rank General
Unit16th Light Cavalry
66th Armoured Regiment
Commands Eastern Army
66th Armoured Regiment
Battles/warsNagaland Insurgency of 1956
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Mizoram Insurgency of 1973
IPKF Operation of 1987
Service numberIC-4769[1]

Early life

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His father, Major General Amar Nath Sharma, was also a military officer. He is the younger brother of the late Major Som Nath Sharma, recipient of Independent India's first posthumous Param Vir Chakra, and also Lieutenant General Surindra Nath Sharma, formerly Engineer in Chief of the Indian Army.[4] Both brothers were educated at the Prince of Wales' Royal Indian Military College, Dehradun. All three brothers did their schooling at Sherwood College, Nainital. [5]

Military career

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Sharma went on to join the fifth Regular Course at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and he was commissioned on 4 June 1950 into the 16th Light Cavalry. He fought in the 1965 War against Pakistan in the Lahore Sector. He commanded the 66th Armoured Regiment and later a Mountain Brigade in an insurgency affected area. Awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service, General Sharma took over as GOC-in-C of the Eastern Command, on 1 June 1987 and was appointed Honorary Army ADC to the President on 25 July 1987. He took over as the Chief of Army Staff on 1 May 1988.[6] He retired on 30 June 1990.

Honours and awards

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Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishist Seva Medal Samar Seva Star Paschimi Star
Raksha Medal Sangram Medal Sainya Seva Medal High Altitude Service Medal
25th Anniversary of Independence Medal 30 Years Long Service Medal 20 Years Long Service Medal 9 Years Long Service Medal

Dates of rank

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Insignia Rank Component Date of rank
  Second Lieutenant Indian Army 4 June 1950[7]
  Lieutenant Indian Army 4 June 1952[8]
  Captain Indian Army 4 June 1956[9]
  Major Indian Army 4 June 1963[10]
  Lieutenant-Colonel Indian Army 14 June 1968[1]
  Colonel Indian Army 3 April 1974[11]
  Brigadier Indian Army 2 February 1975[12]
  Major General Indian Army 1 July 1980[13]
  Lieutenant-General Indian Army 1984[2]
  General
(COAS)
Indian Army 1 May 1988

After career

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 15 August 1970. p. 1003.
  2. ^ a b "General Vishwa Nath Sharma". Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  3. ^ Abidi, S. Sartaj Alam; Sharma, Satinder (2007). Services Chiefs of India. New Delhi: Northern Book Centre. pp. 76–77. ISBN 978-81-7211-162-5.
  4. ^ "Major Somnath Sharma: A hero for generations of soldiers - ADU News". www.aviation-defence-universe.com. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  5. ^ "Military Digest: The young-at-100 Lt Gen Surendra Nath 'Tindi' Sharma". Indian Express. 8 October 2023.
  6. ^ Page 50, Where Gallantry is Tradition: Saga of Rashtriya Indian Military College, By Bikram Singh, Sidharth Mishra, Contributor Rashtriya Indian Military College, Published 1997, Allied Publishers, ISBN 81-7023-649-5
  7. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 5 May 1951. p. 82.
  8. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 2 August 1952. p. 165.
  9. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 26 January 1957. p. 17.
  10. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 10 August 1963. p. 267.
  11. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 26 July 1975. p. 979.
  12. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 10 April 1976. p. 500.
  13. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 20 March 1982. p. 396.
Military offices
Preceded by Chief of Army Staff
1988–1990
Succeeded by
Preceded by
J K Puri
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command
1987 - 1988
Succeeded by