Vijay Kumar Ahluwalia

Lt Gen Vijay Kumar Ahluwalia AVSM**, YSM, VSM, is serving in the Indian Army and is presently the General Officer Commander-in-Chief, Central Command.

Early Life and education Lieutenant General Vijay Kumar Ahluwalia, Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Yudh Seva Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, is serving in the Indian Army and is presently the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Command. He is an alumni of National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery from Indian Military Academy on 14 Nov 1971. A keen aviator, he has a great amount of experience of flying helicopters. The General is a graduate of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Higher Command Course, Mhow and National Defence College at Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Military Career The General has had a career with a balanced command, staff and instructional experience in his service. A pioneer on Bofors guns, having been trained in Sweden, and raising the first battery of the Army. He has held various staff appointments at various Headquarters up to Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Army).

His command assignments include command of a Medium Artillery Regiment in Counter Insurgency Operational Area in Jammu & Kashmir, an Infantry Brigade in the Kashmir Valley during Operation RAKSHAK and Operation PARAKRAM, an Infantry Division at Kargil and the Leh - Ladakh based Corps in the Northern Theatre.

Personal life The General Officer is married to Mrs Shobha Ahluwalia and has two children. His hobbies are trekking, yoga, reading, golf and music.

Awards For his distinguished service in various operational environments, he was awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal,Yudh Seva Medal. He has also won the Bombay Natural History Society National award of “Green Kargil” while commanding an Infantry Division in Leh-Ladakh region for initiating ‘Operation Green Kargil’, which was awarded by the Prime Minister of India on 10 November 2005.