Om Prakash Malhotra
Encyclopedia
General
Om Prakash Malhotra
PVSM (born August 6, 1922 in Srinagar (city), Kashmir
), was the 13th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army
.
Commissioned in the Regiment of Artillery in November 1941, he fought against the Japanese in the Second World War in Burma. He commanded artillery regiments across India between November 1950 and July 1961. He later served as an instructor at the Defense Services Staff College, Wellington, and was the Military and Naval Attaché at the Embassy of India in Moscow from 1962-1965. From August 1965 to January 1966, General Malhotra commanded an Artillery Brigade and then a Mountain Brigade in north-east India. He was promoted to Major General
in September 1967 and commanded 36th Infantry Division in Saugor for two years. From September 1969 till May 1972 he was GOC, 4 Corps, in the Eastern Sector. Subsequently, he commanded XI Corps
in Jullunder for two years and was later the GOC-in-C Southern Command
located at Pune
. In 1976, General Malhotra was awarded the Param Vishist Seva Medal for "service of the most exceptional order". He was Vice Chief of Army Staff before taking over as Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army on 31 May 1978 and serving in that post for three years.
After retiring from the Indian Army on 31 May 1981 after 40 years of distinguished military service, General Malhotra served as the Ambassador
of India to Indonesia
from 1981-1984.
During 1990-1991 General Malhotra was appointed the Governor
of the Indian State of Punjab
when militancy in that state was at its height. General Malhotra decided to resign when the national government refused to call elections in the state.
A keen sportsman, General Malhotra was for many years the President of the Equestrian
Federation of India and the Founder President of the Asian Equestrian Federation. He has also been the President of the Delhi Golf Club, New Delhi.
General Malhotra is a Trustee of the Nehru Trust for the Indian Collections at the Victoria & Albert Museum, and has served as the President of India's largest NGO, the "National Association for the Blind" in New Delhi. He is an active member of Kiwanis International in India.
General Malhotra is presently the Chairman of two charitable organizations Shiksha
, and Chikitsa.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Om Prakash Malhotra
Malhotra
Malhotra is a Suryavanshi Khatri family surname originating from the Punjab region of the Indian Subcontinent, today straddling India and Pakistan.The Malhotras belong to the kshatriya varna ....
PVSM (born August 6, 1922 in Srinagar (city), Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
), was the 13th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
.
Commissioned in the Regiment of Artillery in November 1941, he fought against the Japanese in the Second World War in Burma. He commanded artillery regiments across India between November 1950 and July 1961. He later served as an instructor at the Defense Services Staff College, Wellington, and was the Military and Naval Attaché at the Embassy of India in Moscow from 1962-1965. From August 1965 to January 1966, General Malhotra commanded an Artillery Brigade and then a Mountain Brigade in north-east India. He was promoted to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in September 1967 and commanded 36th Infantry Division in Saugor for two years. From September 1969 till May 1972 he was GOC, 4 Corps, in the Eastern Sector. Subsequently, he commanded XI Corps
XI Corps (India)
The XI Corps of the Indian Army is based in Jalandhar and is a part of Western Command.XI Corps was raised to take command of the formations in the Punjab as India reorganised its post-1947 army to meet the new threat of Pakistan.It consists of:...
in Jullunder for two years and was later the GOC-in-C Southern Command
Southern Command (India)
Southern Command is a formation of the Indian Army, active since 1895. It has seen action during the integration of several Princely States into modern India, during the 1961 Indian Annexation of Goa, and during the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistani Wars....
located at Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
. In 1976, General Malhotra was awarded the Param Vishist Seva Medal for "service of the most exceptional order". He was Vice Chief of Army Staff before taking over as Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army on 31 May 1978 and serving in that post for three years.
After retiring from the Indian Army on 31 May 1981 after 40 years of distinguished military service, General Malhotra served as the Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
of India to Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
from 1981-1984.
During 1990-1991 General Malhotra was appointed the Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the Indian State of Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
when militancy in that state was at its height. General Malhotra decided to resign when the national government refused to call elections in the state.
A keen sportsman, General Malhotra was for many years the President of the Equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
Federation of India and the Founder President of the Asian Equestrian Federation. He has also been the President of the Delhi Golf Club, New Delhi.
General Malhotra is a Trustee of the Nehru Trust for the Indian Collections at the Victoria & Albert Museum, and has served as the President of India's largest NGO, the "National Association for the Blind" in New Delhi. He is an active member of Kiwanis International in India.
General Malhotra is presently the Chairman of two charitable organizations Shiksha
Shiksha (NGO)
Shiksha is an NGO devoted to improving the standards of education in New Delhi, India and its neighbouring regions. Shiksha's chairman is the retired Indian Chief of Army Staff, General O.P. Malhotra....
, and Chikitsa.