Jammu, Jan 31: Northern Command bid an emotional farewell to its General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) Lt Gen Y K Joshi as he relinquished command on Monday.
“Lt Gen Joshi, who assumed the appointment of GOC-in-C, Northern Command at Udhampur on February 1, 2020, was given an emotional send-off through a simple farewell ceremony. As part of the ceremony, he laid a wreath at the Dhruva War Memorial on January 30, 2022 in remembrance of all the soldiers of Northern Command who laid down their lives in various operations,” said PRO Northern Command in an official statement.
Lt Gen Joshi was commissioned into 13 JAK RIF on June 12, 1982, and later commanded the same unit.
“The General Officer is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy Khadakwasla and a postgraduate from the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. He also attended the prestigious National Defence College Course at New Delhi. The General Officer has had command experience spanning the entire mosaic, covering all theatres. He commanded 13 JAK RIF in Operation Vijay and Parakram. The General Officer caught the attention of the nation during the Kargil War with his outstanding leadership and led his unit to unprecedented success,” the PRO said.
He said that in Operation Vijay under Lt Gen Joshi’s command, the unit was awarded with a total of 37 gallantry awards including two ParamVir Chakra, eight Vir Chakra, and 14 Sena Medals.
“The unit has also been awarded with the Chief of Army Staff Unit citation and the ‘Bravest of Brave’ award. The General Officer himself was awarded the Vir Chakra during his command of 13 JAK RIF in the operations. The General Officer has commanded an Infantry Brigade in Tangtse, Infantry Division in Karu, and Corps in Leh. He has also served as Director General Infantry and was instrumental in catalysing the modernization drive of the Infantry. He was the Chief of Staff, Northern Command before taking over the reins of Northern Command as Army Commander,” the PRO said. “The General Officer has had tenures as Instructor at Infantry School, Mhow and varied staff exposure, including staff appointment at Military Operations Directorate and as DefenceAttache to Beijing (China). He has also served as Military Observer in the United Nations, Angola.”
He said that Lt Gen Y K Joshi was a seasoned professional with four decades of military leadership in the field of national security, planning and management of military operations at national level, disaster management, macro-level training of Indian Army and management of conventional and sub-conventional conflict in J&K and Ladakh in high altitude as well as super high altitude terrain conditions.
“Lt Gen Y K Joshi will continue to inspire the future generations of army officers to emulate his sterling qualities, firm resolve to follow the righteous path under all circumstances, sense of justice and strategic thinking as a General and statesman,” the PRO said.