Shankar Roychowdhury
Chief of Army Staff | |
---|---|
In office 22 November 1994 – 30 September 1997 | |
President | Shankar Dayal Sharma K. R. Narayanan |
Prime Minister | P. V. Narasimha Rao Atal Bihari Vajpayee H. D. Deve Gowda Inder Kumar Gujral |
Preceded by | Bipin Chandra Joshi |
Succeeded by | Ved Prakash Malik |
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha | |
In office 19 August 1999 – 18 August 2005 | |
Constituency | West Bengal |
Personal details | |
Born | Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Bangladesh Liberation War | 6 September 1937
Service number | IC-8417[1] |
Awards | |
Early life
General Roychowdhury was born in
Bengali Kayastha family, on 6 September 1937. He received his schooling at St. Xavier's Collegiate School in Kolkata and later at Wynberg Allen School, Mussoorie and St. George's College, Mussoorie. He then became a cadet in the Joint Services Wing of the Indian Armed Forces in 1953.[3][4]
Military career
General Shankar Roychowdhury was commissioned into the
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 in the Chamb-Jaurian sector, and in Jessore and Khulna during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. He commanded the 20 Lancers from 1974 to 1976, an Independent Armoured Brigade from December 1980 to July 1983, and an Armoured Division from May 1988 to May 1990. He subsequently commanded the 16 Corps in Jammu and Kashmir from 1991 to 1992.[3][4]
He is a graduate of the
National Defence College and also holds a Doctorate D.Litt. (Honoris CAVSA).[2] He held several staff and instructional appointments, including that of Director General Combat Vehicles dealing with the Arjun tank.[3][4]
He was awarded the
Army Training Command (ARTRAC) in August 1992. He assumed charge of the Indian Army as the 18th Chief of Army Staff on 22 November 1994, upon the untimely death of his predecessor, General B.C. Joshi.[5] He retired from the Indian Army on 30 September 1997, after 40 years of military service.[4][6]
Post-retirement
After retirement from the Army, General Roychowdhury became a member of the Rajya Sabha, where he highlighted defence related issues.[3] Since 21 January 2008, he has been a Director of Indian Metal & Ferro Alloys Ltd.[2][4] His autobiography titled Officially at Peace was published by Penguin Books in 2002.[7]
Honours and decorations
Param Vishisht Seva Medal | Samar Seva Star
|
Poorvi 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
Insignia | Rank | Component | Date of rank |
---|---|---|---|
Second Lieutenant | Indian Army | 9 June 1957[8] | |
Lieutenant | Indian Army | 9 June 1959[9] | |
Captain | Indian Army | 9 June 1963[10] | |
Major | Indian Army | 9 June 1970[11] | |
Lieutenant Colonel | Indian Army | 1976 | |
Colonel | Indian Army | 24 October 1982[12] | |
Brigadier | Indian Army | 12 April 1983[13] | |
Major General | Indian Army | 2 January 1988[14] | |
Lieutenant General | Indian Army | 1 July 1991[15] | |
General (COAS) |
Indian Army | 22 November 1994[1] |
References
- ^ a b "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 21 January 1995. p. 97.
- ^ a b c "Executive Profile of Shankar Roychowdhury (Retd.)". Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved 13 May 2014.[dead link]
- ^ a b c d e "General Shankar Roy Chowdhury". Indian Army. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
- ^ a b c d e "General Shankar Roychowdhury". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
- ^ "Shankar Roy Chowdhury appointed new chief of army staff". India Today. 15 December 1995. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
- ISBN 9788172111625. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
- ISBN 0670885851.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 5 April 1958. p. 78.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 15 August 1959. p. 301.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 14 September 1963. p. 308.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 30 January 1971. p. 112.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 19 January 1985. p. 84.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 11 January 1986. p. 24.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 4 November 1989. p. 1631.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 16 November 1991. p. 1771.
External links
- Maoists are also our fellow Indians: General Shankar Roychowdhury, IBN Live, 29 May 2013.
- Ex Indian Army chief talks about Indo-Bangla ties, Hindustan Times, 16 March 2013.
- Former Army chief Shankar Roychowdhury backs General VK Singh in age row, The Economic Times, 22 January 2012.