Kalwant Singh (Indian Army general)

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A King's Commissioned Indian Officer (KCIO), Singh was initially educated at Forman Christian College before entering the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst,^[2] passing out and receiving his British Indian Army commission on 29 January 1925. Among his batchmates were Sant Singh and Hira Lal Atal, both of whom would also become generals.^[3] As was customary for newly commissioned Indian Army officers, Singh, along with his batchmate Atal, were attached to a regular British Army regiment for a year of training, in their case the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders (the "Gordons").^[4]

Following his attachment to the Gordons, Singh was posted to 2/1 Punjab, then stationed at Kohat, as a company officer on 7 April 1926.^[5][6] Apart from leaves, he remained with the battalion over the following years. By 1931, Singh's fellow company officers included lieutenants Pran Nath Thapar and Thakur Mahadeo Singh, along with second lieutenant Udey Chand Dubey, all of whom would rise to general rank in the independent Indian Army.^[7]

In 1935, by then a captain, Singh was among the few Indians to sit the examinations for and to be selected to attend Staff College, Quetta. After completing Staff College, he was appointed staff captain of 2/1 Punjab on 1 November 1938.^[8] He was subsequently brigade major of the Thal Brigade through 1941, when he returned to Quetta as an instructor at the Staff College.^[2] He was then appointed Assistant Quartermaster-General (Plans) with the Indian Expeditionary Force. From 1943 to 1945, as a temporary lieutenant-colonel, he commanded 7/1 Punjab before appointment as second-in-command of 114 Brigade in Burma.^[2] In 1946, he was promoted acting brigadier and commanded a brigade posted in Bangkok.^[9] After assisting with the resettlement of refugees, Singh was appointed Brigadier General Staff, Northern Command in June 1947, the first Indian holder of that post.^[2]

Promoted acting major-general and appointed Director of Military Training shortly before Independence,^[2] Singh was then given command of the Jammu and Kashmir Division during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, for which he was mentioned in dispatches.^[10] From 8 May 1948, Singh served as Chief of the General Staff (CGS),^[11] receiving promotion to substantive major general on 1 January 1950.^[12]

On 3 April 1950, Singh was appointed a corps commander.^[13] On 1 September 1953, he was appointed officiating GOC-in_C, Western Command,^[14] and was appointed as the regular GOC-in-C of that army command on 15 May 1955,^[15] retiring in May 1959.^[2]