Nirmal Chander Vij

General Vij was born on 3 January 1943Shankar Prasad, The Gallant Dogras: An Illustrated History of the Dogra Regiment (Lancer Publishers, 2005) p433 at Jammu. He completed his studies at the SRML Higher Secondary School, Jammu and joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) in 1959. He was commissioned into the Dogra Regiment on 11 December 1962.{{cn|date=September 2021}}

Within weeks of his commissioning, he saw action in the Walong sector in the 1962 Indo-China War. Since then he has served in the eastern sector six times, the last time being as the General officer commanding IV Corps. Vij has served as the General staff officer of an infantry division, a director in the Military Operations Directorate as a colonel and deputy director general of perspective planning (strategic planning) as a brigadier at Army HQ in New Delhi.{{cite web|url=http://getahead.rediff.com/news/2002/oct/31army.htm|title= N C Vij appointed new army chief |last=Press Trust of India |author-link=Press Trust of India |work=Rediff|access-date=10 March 2010}}

Vij served as the Major General General Staff (MGGS) at the Western Command in Chandimandir, Chandigarh (Punjab). During the 1999 Kargil War, he served as the Director General Military Operations (DGMO). In 1999, he broke the military tradition to brief members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on operations in Kargil.{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050201/asp/nation/story_4322226.asp|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130203163232/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050201/asp/nation/story_4322226.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 February 2013|title=Army baton in hand, "Tiger" roars|last=DUTTA|first=SUJAN |date=1 February 2005|work=The Telegraph|access-date=10 March 2010}} He was criticized for appearing, in his professional capacity before a group of senior BJP leaders, and briefing them.{{cite web|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1616/16160220.htm|title=Now, the cover-up|last=Swami|first=Praveen|date=13 August 1999|work=Frontline|publisher=The Hindu Group|access-date=10 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110702140431/http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1616/16160220.htm|archive-date=2 July 2011|url-status=usurped}}

For his services as the DGMO, he was awarded{{When|date=November 2021}} the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal. He was involved was the planning and execution of Operation Khukri – to extricate trapped Indian peacekeeping troops in Sierra Leone. The formations he has commanded include a mountain brigade involved in active counter-insurgency operations in the north east, an elite RAPID (Reorganised Army Plains Infantry Division) unit, the XXI Strike Corps based at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/of-commanders-and-their-command/story-EHeznqPlR1ZwhUNQCdMYlL.html|title=Of commanders and their command|date=2006-12-09|access-date=2021-07-27}} and the IV Corps based at Tezpur, Assam. He is also a recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM). On 1 October 2000, Vij was appointed as the GOC of Southern Command at Pune and led the army's rescue efforts during the 2001 Gujarat earthquake. In October 2001, he was appointed as the Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) at New Delhi and in January 2002, he was appointed as the 10th Colonel of the Dogra Regiment and the Dogra Scouts.

He was appointed as the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) on 1 January 2005. He is married to Rita Vij and they have a son, Nalin, who is a software engineer in the United States. General Vij retired on 31 January 2005, after completing more than 42 years service.

He was the founder-Vice Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority, in 2005, with an equivalent rank of a Union Minister of State.{{cite web|url=http://ndma.gov.in/ndma/ncvij.htm|title=Gen. N.C.Vij PVSM, UYSM, AVSM (Retd) Vice Chairman|work=National Disaster Management Agency|access-date=10 March 2010|archive-date=7 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090807042533/http://ndma.gov.in/ndma/ncvij.htm|url-status=dead}} He was the Director of the Vivekananda International Foundation think tank in New Delhi. In 2021, his book "The Kashmir Conundrum: The Quest for Peace in a Troubled Land" was published by Harper Collins.{{Cite web|date=2021-12-23|title=New book by Army ex-chief Gen. Vij offers 'complete picture', way forward on Jammu & Kashmir|url=https://theprint.in/softcover/new-book-by-army-ex-chief-gen-vij-offers-complete-picture-way-forward-on-jammu-kashmir/785764/|access-date=2021-12-29|website=ThePrint}}{{Cite web|date=22 December 2021|title=Former Army Chief Gen(retd) NC Vij Claims Jammu And Kashmir To Be Free Of Militancy In 8–10 Years|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/former-army-chief-genretd-nc-vij-claims-jammu-and-kashmir-to-be-free-of-militancy-in-8-10-years/406338|access-date=2021-12-29|website=Outlook India}}

Builders by name Adarsh Housing Cooperative Society have been constructing buildings in the prime government land in Mumbai. The permission for construction on this government land has been taken in name of providing the affordable accommodation to war widows and the land had been reserved for this purpose. However, many politicians, top military officials, other bureaucrats and their relatives have taken the ownership of the flats.{{cite web|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/news/cm-link-in-adarsh-housing-society-scam/703869|title=Maha CM link in Adarsh Housing scam|date=28 October 2010|access-date=30 October 2010}} Ashok Chavan, former chief minister of Maharashtra, resigned under pressure for his role in this scam. CBI is probing the scam. Gen N C Vij along with two other former military chiefs – General Deepak Kapoor, and Admiral Madhvendra Singh offered to give up their apartments.{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Army-Navy-chiefs-offer-to-return-flats/articleshow/6838674.cms|title=Army, Navy chiefs offer to return flats|access-date=30 October 2010 | work=The Times Of India|date=30 October 2010}}

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{{s-bef| before = Srinivasapuram Krishnaswamy}}

{{s-ttl| title= Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee | years = 2004–2005}}

{{s-aft| after = Arun Prakash}}

{{s-bef| before = Sundararajan Padmanabhan}}

{{s-ttl|title = Chief of Army Staff|years = 2003–2005 }}

{{s-aft|after = Joginder Jaswant Singh}}

{{s-bef|before = Sundararajan Padmanabhan}}

{{s-ttl|title = General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Command|years = 2000–2001}}

{{s-aft|after = Gurbaksh Singh Sihota}}

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{{Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee}}

{{Chief of the Army Staff India}}

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Category:1943 births

Category:Living people

Category:Chiefs of Army Staff (India)

Category:People from Jammu (city)

Category:Vice chiefs of Army Staff (India)

Category:Indian generals

Category:National Defence College, India alumni

Category:Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal

Category:Recipients of the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal

Category:Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal