Rajiv Ghai
Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Indian Army
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, SYSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM & Two Bars is a serving general officer of the Indian Army. He is presently serving as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy)[2] and as the Military Adviser to the National Security Council Secretariat.[3] He served as the Director General of Military Operations during Operation Sindoor.[4] He earlier served as the General Officer Commanding XV Corps.[5] He is also the Colonel of the Kumaon Regiment & Naga Regiment & Kumaon SCOUTS.[6]
Rajiv Ghai | |
|---|---|
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| Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) | |
| Assumed office 10 June 2025 | |
| Chief of Army Staff | Upendra Dwivedi |
| Preceded by | Pratik Sharma |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  India |
| Branch/service |  Indian Army |
Years of service | 16 December 1989 - Present |
| Rank |  Lieutenant General |
| Unit |  Kumaon Regiment |
| Commands |
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| Service number | IC-48989Y [1] |
| Awards | |
Early life and education
He is an alumnus of the Fergusson College, Pune[citation needed] and the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He is also an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the Army War College, Mhow and the National Defence College, New Delhi.[7]
Military career
The general officer was commissioned into the Kumaon Regiment on 16 December 1989 from the Indian Military Academy.[8] In a career spanning over three decades, he has undertaken numerous command, staff and instructional appointments. He has vast experience in conventional as well as counter terrorist operations and has served as a company commander in Rashtriya Rifles in Jammu & Kashmir and with his battalion in insurgency in the northeast. He has commanded an infantry battalion in western sector, an independent brigade in northern sector and was General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 56th Infantry Division.[9] His staff appointments include serving as GSO-1 in Military Operation Directorate, Staff Officer to Military Secretary , Colonel General Staff at 25 Infantry Division, Deputy Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations) at the Integrated Defence Staff, Brigadier Military Operations at the Military Operations Directorate and MG GS at Northern Command.[7] He also served with the United Nations Missions in Lebanon as a staff officer. He has done instructional tenures as an instructor at Infantry School, Mhow and at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.[7]
After being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General, on 15 June 2023 he took over as the General Officer Commanding XV Corps.[10] A year and a half later on 25 October 2024, he assumed the appointment of Director General of Military Operations.[4] As DGMO, he spearheaded the Indian Army's planning & execution of Operation Sindoor. After his stint as DGMO, on 10 June 2025, Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai took over as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy).[11] He was appointed as the Military Adviser to the National Security Council Secretariat on 12 June 2026.[12]
Awards and decorations
The general officer has been awarded with the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal on Independence Day 2025 for his role during Operation Sindoor,[13] the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal on Republic Day 2025,[14] the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2023, the Sena Medal in 2010,[15] bar to Sena Medal in 2017[16] and a second bar to Sena Medal in 2021.[17]
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