Kamal Jit Singh
{{Short description|Retired Lieutenant General, Indian Army}}
{{for|the footballer|Kamaljit Singh}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = Lieutenant General
| name = Kamal Jit Singh
| honorific_suffix = PVSM, AVSM & Bar
| image = Lt_Gen_KJ_Singh.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date =
| death_date =
| birth_place =
| death_place =
| placeofburial =
| nickname =
| allegiance = India
| branch = Indian Army
| serviceyears = 1977 – 31 July 2016
| rank = 22px
| servicenumber = IC-34350Y
| unit = 63 Cavalry
| commands =Western Command
XXXIII Corps
63 Cavalry
83 Armoured Regiment
| battles =
| awards = Param Vishisht Seva Medal
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal & Bar
| spouse = Anita Singh
| relations =
| laterwork =
| website =
}}
Lieutenant General Kamal Jit Singh, PVSM, AVSM & Bar is a retired Indian Army officer and former general officer commanding-in-chief of Western Command. After retirement, he was conferred with Maharaja Ranjit Singh Chair of Excellence in Punjab University.{{Cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/mobi/news/chandigarh/education/lt-gen-kj-singh-accepts-pu-maharaja-ranjit-singh-chair/281416.html|title=Maharaja Ranjit Singh Chair|last=Singh|first=Kamal Jit|date=17 August 2016|work=Tribune}}{{Dead link|date=March 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and was appointed as Advisor to CM Haryana in November 2018.
He graduated from the National Defence Academy,{{cite news|title=Lt Gen Kamal Jit Singh PromotedWestern Army Commander|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=106502|accessdate=21 July 2016|work=pib.nic.in}}{{cite news|title=Lt Gen KJ Singh takes charge of Western Command|url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/lt-gen-kj-singh-takes-charge-western-command-1645043.html|accessdate=19 July 2016|work=First Post|date=1 August 2014}} and attended various staff courses in training academies of the Indian Army throughout the country. Singh worked closely with UN Peacekeeping forces stationed in Angola and was commended by the chief and UN Force Commander during his tenure. He held several appointments as commanding officer and also staff appointments at the headquarters of the Indian Army. He has been twice awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.{{cite web|title=GOC-in-C Western Command|url=http://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTempSimple.aspx?MnId=zzpQgSGos0etVAXhC2/aIg==&ParentID=1bZ6wUUiFHfBkKNO2vIH5Q==|website=Indian Army|accessdate=19 July 2016}}
In 2019, Singh was appointed as State Information Commissioner{{cite news |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/state-gets-3-new-info-commissioners/739714.html |title=State gets 3 new info commissioners |newspaper=The Tribune |location=Chandigarh |date=8 March 2019 |accessdate=27 March 2019 |archive-date=27 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327234643/https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/state-gets-3-new-info-commissioners/739714.html |url-status=dead }} and was inducted into Chandigarh Advisory Council.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}} He was nominated as Chairman of Education Standing Committee of UT Advisory Council in 2022.{{Cite journal |title=the-tribune-no13-dec-1985-51-pp |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2210-7975_hrd-1418-0008 |access-date=2022-12-29 |website=Human Rights Documents online|doi=10.1163/2210-7975_hrd-1418-0008 |url-access=subscription }} He was awarded Ph D in Defence Studies in Oct 2023.{{Cite web |last=G |first=S |date=25 October 2023 |title=Panjab University Result Notification Doc/2023/25 for Ph.D. Examination |url=https://results.puexam.in/Results/OthersResults/6292-6308_rotated.pdf |access-date=25 October 2023 |website=Panjab University}} He was conferred with designation of Honorary Professor in PU in Sep 23 and as Prof of Practice in Chandigarh University in Oct 23. His first book, General's Jottings was released in Kasauli LitFest- {{ISBN|978-93-92210-91-4}}. UEM Jaipur conferred Ph D (Honoris Causa) on him on 22nd Feb 2025.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-22 |title=यूईएम जयपुर में 10वें दीक्षांत समारोह का हुआ आयोजन - Jagruk Janta Hindi News Paper |url=https://jagrukjanta.net/10th-convocation-organized-at-uem-jaipur/ |access-date=2025-02-24 |language=en-US}}
Personal life and education
Singh graduated from the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, and was awarded the bronze medal (for academics). He attended various command courses, including the National Defence Course and Higher Command Course, and was awarded the Col. Pyare Lal Medal and Commandant's Medal for his performance. He also attended the Defence Services Staff Course.Naval Staff Course-on Competitive Vacancy{{cite news|title=Lt Gen K J Singh takes over as GOC-in-c, Western Command|url=http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/lt-gen-k-j-singh-takes-goc-c-western-command/|accessdate=19 July 2016|work=Daily Excelsior|date=1 August 2014}}{{cite news|title=Lieutenant General KJ Singh, takes over as GOC-in-C Western Command|url=http://www.cityairnews.com/content/lieutenant-general-kj-singh-takes-over-goc-c-western-command|accessdate=19 July 2016|work=www.cityairnews.com}}
Singh completed his Master of Science and Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in defence studies and his Master of Philosophy in strategic studies. He also qualified for a Master of Business Administration. He was awarded Ph D in Defence Studies in Oct 2023.
Singh's wife, Anita, coordinated the winning teamBudha Dal Public School team of the Global Space Settlement Design Competition held by NASA and was awarded the Government of Punjab's Samman Patra. The couple have two sons, Sahil and Samrat, who both work in the private sector.
Military career
Singh was commissioned through the Indian Military Academy into the 63 Cavalry, an armoured regiment of the Indian Army, on 11 June 1977. During his three-decade long career, he has served in several counter-insurgency areas such as Nagaland, Manipur, and Punjab and was twice commended by the Eastern army commander during his service in Nagaland and Manipur. Additionally, he worked with the paramilitary force, the Assam Rifles, and the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces stationed in Angola. He has also commanded his own regiment, 63 Cavalry; an armoured brigade of T-90s; an armoured division, and a corps in the north-eastern region.
During his time with the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces (UNPKF), Singh served as chief operations officer and team commander. He was commended by the Chief of the Indian Army Staff and also received the UN Force Commander's citation for his contributions to UNPKF.
His staff appointments include brigade major of an armoured brigade, assistant military secretary (Policy), military assistant to deputy chief of army staff (COAS), colonel general staff of division involved in counter-insurgency operations, brigadier general staff of a Strike Corps, and additional director general (Perspective Planning) at the headquarters of the Indian Army.Integrated headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Army) He served as an instructor at the School of Armoured Warfare and also on the Directing Staff at the Higher Command Wing of the Army War College, Mhow.Military headquarters of War, generally referred as Mhow. He was succeeded by Lieutenant General Surinder Singh as the GOC-in-C Western Command.{{cite web|title=Lt Gen Surinder Singh to be Western Army Commander|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/lt-gen-surinder-singh-to-be-western-army-commander/278151.html|website=Tribune India|accessdate=6 November 2016}}
He was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (January 2016) and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Bar by the President of India.{{Cite web|url=http://pibphoto.nic.in/documents/rlink/2016/jan/p201612505.pdf|title=LIST OF PERSONNEL BEING CONFERRED GALLANTRY AND DISTINGUISHED AWARDS ON THE OCCASION OF REPUBLIC DAY-2016}}
Honours and decorations
| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
| | |
| 105px |
| 105px |
| 105px |
| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |
| colspan="2"|Param Vishisht Seva Medal
|colspan="2"|Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (Bar) |
| Samanya Seva Medal
|Operation Parakram Medal |
| High Altitude Service Medal |
| 20 Years Long Service Medal |
Singh was honoured by the Punjab Government on the 550th Prakash Utsav of Guru Nanak.{{Cite web |title=Govt honour for 383 on Parkash Utsav |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/punjab/govt-honour-for-383-on-parkash-utsav-859144 |website=Tribune India}}
Controversy
In May 2016, Singh was allegedly involved in a verbal spat with Lieutenant General R. Ravindran, then General Officer Commanding (GoC) Delhi Area regarding the functioning of the GoC. Subsequently, Ravindran was transferred to Lucknow. The Army HQ called it a routine transfer.{{cite web|author1=Pradip R Sagar|title=In army, boss is sternly right|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/In-army-boss-is-sternly-right/2016/05/22/article3444868.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160523135801/http://www.newindianexpress.com/thesundaystandard/In-army-boss-is-sternly-right/2016/05/22/article3444868.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 May 2016|website=Indian Express|accessdate=19 July 2016|date=22 May 2016}}
Notes
Footnotes
{{reflist|group=Note}}
Citations
{{reflist}}
References
- {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160719075252/http://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTempSimple.aspx?MnId=zzpQgSGos0etVAXhC2/aIg==&ParentID=1bZ6wUUiFHfBkKNO2vIH5Q== |date=19 July 2016 |title=Lt Gen KJ Singh, AVSM ** GOC-in-C, Western Command }}
{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{Succession box
| title = General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Command
| years = 1 Aug 2014 – 31 Jul 2016
| before = Philip Campose
| after = Surinder Singh
}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Kamal Jit}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:National Defence Academy (India) alumni
Category:Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Category:Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal