Satinder Kumar Saini

Lieutenant General Satinder Kumar Saini, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, VSM, ADC was the 41st Vice Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army and assumed the office on 25 January 2020.[1][2] He previously served as General Officer Commanding in Chief (GOC-in-C) Southern Command.[3][4]

Satinder Kumar Saini
41st Vice Chief of the Army Staff
In office
25 January 2020 – 31 January 2021
Chief of Army StaffManoj Mukund Naravane
Preceded byManoj Mukund Naravane
Succeeded byChandi Prasad Mohanty
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Command
In office
1 October 2018 – 24 January 2020
Preceded byDewan Rabindranath Soni
Succeeded byChandi Prasad Mohanty
Personal details
Awards Param Vishisht Seva Medal
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Yudh Seva Medal
Vishisht Seva Medal
Military service
Allegiance India
Branch/service Indian Army
Years of serviceJune 1981 – January 2021
Rank Lieutenant General
Unit7 Jat
Commands Southern Command
IX Corps
Kilo Force Rashtriya Rifles
79(I) Mountain Brigade
7 Jat

Early life and education

Saini is from District Hoshiarpur in Punjab, an alumnus of Sainik School, Kapurthala, National Defence Academy, Pune; and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He has also attended the Army Command and Staff Course at Staff College, Camberley; Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham; and National Defence College, Dhaka. He has a total of three degrees in defence and strategic studies.[5][4]

Career

Saini was commissioned into the 7th battalion, Jat Regiment in June 1981. His commands include 7 Jat, a Mountain Brigade in the Kashmir Valley, Counter Insurgency Force (Kilo) (part of the Rashtriya Rifles) and IX Corps. The general officer has also held numerous staff appointments including Brigade Major of an infantry brigade, General Staff Officer (Operations) of an infantry division, BGS of a Corps, Director of Military Operations at Army HQ; Director General, Manpower Planning and Personnel Services (MP&PS). He has held different instructor appointments including Senior Directing Staff at National Defence College, Weapons Instructor at National Security Guards Training Center and the Commandant of the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He was also The Colonel of the Jat Regiment.[6][5][7][8][9][10][11][12]

Saini has served on international deputations as well including Deputy Chief Military Personnel Officer in the Iraq- Kuwait UN Mission; Global Peace Operations Initiative's peacekeeping exercise in Mongolia; a counter-terrorism exercise in Australia.[3]

During the 38 years of his service, he has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (2020), the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (2018), the Yudh Seva Medal, the Vishisht Seva Medal, the Chief of Army Staff Commendation and the Army Commander Commendation for his service.[13]

Honors and decorations

Param Vishisht Seva MedalAti Vishisht Seva MedalYudh Seva Medal
Vishisht Seva MedalSamanya Seva MedalSpecial Service MedalOperation Vijay Medal
Operation Parakram MedalSainya Seva MedalVidesh Seva Medal50th Anniversary of Independence Medal
30 Years Long Service Medal20 Years Long Service Medal9 Years Long Service MedalUNIKOM

Dates of rank

InsigniaRankComponentDate of rank
Second LieutenantIndian Army13 June 1981[14]
LieutenantIndian Army13 June 1983[15]
CaptainIndian Army13 June 1986[16]
MajorIndian Army13 June 1992[17]
Lieutenant-ColonelIndian Army16 December 2004[18]
ColonelIndian Army1 October 2005[19]
BrigadierIndian Army13 March 2009 (seniority from 4 June 2008)[20]
Major GeneralIndian Army25 October 2013 (seniority from 4 October 2011)[21]
Lieutenant-GeneralIndian Army21 May 2016[22]

References

Military offices
Preceded by Vice Chief of the Army Staff
25 January 2020 – 31 January 2021
Succeeded by
Preceded by General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief Southern Command
1 October 2018 – 25 January 2020
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Ashok Ambre
General Officer Commanding IX Corps
4 January 2017 – 9 January 2018
Succeeded by