New Delhi, July 31 -- Former Chief of the Army Staff General Vishwa Nath Sharma (retd), who led the Indian Army from 1988 to 1990 and had a distinguished military career spanning four decades, passed away on Friday at the age of 96, the Indian Army said. He was remembered as an exemplary soldier whose leadership, professionalism and unwavering commitment to the nation left a lasting legacy.
The Indian Army, led by Chief of Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth, expressed profound grief over his demise. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also paid tribute, describing General Sharma as "a distinguished military leader" who served the nation with "unwavering dedication, courage and honour."
Born on June 4, 1930, General Sharma hailed from Dadh village in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district, a region known for its strong military tradition. The younger brother of Major Som Nath Sharma, Independent India's first Param Vir Chakra awardee, he carried forward his family's remarkable legacy of service to the armed forces.
Educated at Sherwood College, Nainital, and the Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun, he joined the Indian Military Academy and was commissioned into the 16 Light Cavalry on June 4, 1950.
General Sharma saw action as a major during the 1965 Indo-Pak war in the Lahore sector and later held several key operational, command and instructional appointments. He commanded a Mountain Brigade in an insurgency-affected area, an Armoured Brigade in the Rajasthan desert, a Mountain Division and later a Corps in the western sector. He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 1977 and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) for distinguished service before taking over as the 14th Chief of the Army Staff in 1988.
Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta described his death as the end of an era, saying the state had lost one of its finest soldier-statesmen. He noted that despite decades of national service, General Sharma remained deeply connected to his ancestral village and had recently travelled from Dadh to his residence in Delhi's Defence Colony.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.