New Delhi: Former Chief of Army Staff General Viswa Nath Sharma (VN Sharma) passed away in New Delhi on Friday. He was 96. General Sharma served as the 14th Chief of Army Staff from 1988 to 1990. Recognized for his military leadership, discipline, and dedicated service to the nation, he belonged to Dadh village in the Palampur subdivision of Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh.
Commissioned into the 16th Light Cavalry in 1950, General Sharma served the nation for nearly four decades. During his distinguished career, he led the Indian Army through several critical military assignments, including the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) operations in Sri Lanka and complex security challenges in Northeast India.
For his outstanding service, he was decorated with prestigious military honors, including the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM).
General Sharma hailed from a distinguished military family spanning three generations. He was the younger brother of Major Somnath Sharma, independent India’s first Param Vir Chakra recipient, who was posthumously awarded the nation’s highest gallantry honor for bravery in the 1947 Kashmir War.
His father, Major General Amar Nath Sharma, was a senior officer in the Army Medical Services. His brother, Lieutenant General Surendra Nath Sharma, served as the Army’s Engineer-in-Chief, while his sister served as a Brigadier in the Army Medical Corps.
Even after retiring from active service, General Sharma maintained strong ties with his ancestral village, Dadh. Last year in June, he visited his village as the chief guest for the foundation stone laying ceremony of ‘Van Vihar’, a memorial project dedicated to his brother, late Major Somnath Sharma.
News of his demise brought grief across Himachal Pradesh and the country. Himachal Pradesh Governor, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur expressed deep condolences over his passing.
In his message, the Governor stated that General Sharma made valuable contributions to strengthening the nation’s security framework, calling his passing the end of an era. He remarked that Himachal Pradesh had lost one of its finest military figures, emphasizing that General Sharma’s commitment to protecting the nation’s sovereignty earned him the respect of the armed forces and the public alike.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu paid tribute to the former Army Chief, stating that his exceptional leadership and devotion to duty would continue to inspire generations. Both leaders extended their condolences to the bereaved family.
