Mohinder Singh Wadalia | |
|---|---|
| Born | 30 November 1908[1] |
| Died | 20 May 2001 (aged 92) New Delhi, India |
| Allegiance |  British India (1929-1947)  India (1947-1965) |
| Service/ |  British Indian Army Indian Army |
| Years of service | 1929–1965 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant-General |
| Service number | AI-947 |
| Unit | Hyderabad Regiment 16th Light Cavalry |
| Commands held | Commandant of the Indian Military Academy |
| Battles/wars | World War II
Indo-Pakistan War of 1947 |
| Awards | Mentioned in dispatches |
Lieutenant-General Mohinder Singh Wadalia (30 November 1908 – 20 May 2001) was an Indian Army general.[2]
Career
A King's Commissioned Indian Officer (KCIO), Wadalia was educated at Aitchison College and the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College,Dehra Dun.[3] He subsequently attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the British Indian Army on 31 January 1929, passing out fifth in the order of merit from 37 successful cadets.[4][5] He was formally appointed to the Indian Army as an officer with the 4/19 Hyderabad Regiment (now 4 Kumaon Regiment) on 13 April 1930.[6] On 1 March 1934, he transferred to the 16th Light Cavalry and was appointed a squadron officer.[7] He was appointed the adjutant on 1 January 1937.[8]
During the Second World War, Wadalia was appointed a GSO 3 in the Directorate of Military Training on 27 June 1941, under Brigadier Francis Tuker.[9] Advanced to a GSO 2 on 26 September and promoted temporary major in December,[10] Wadalia was transferred to the Directorate of Armoured Fighting Vehicles on 26 May 1943.[11] He served on the headquarters staff in the Persia-Iraq theatre and was mentioned in dispatches.[3][12] On 13 August 1944, he was appointed a GSO 1 on the staff, with the acting rank of lieutenant-colonel.[13] He was promoted substantive major (temporary lieutenant-colonel) on 31 January 1946.[14] On 23 December 1949, he was promoted temporary brigadier and given command of a brigade.[15]
On 21 June 1951, Wadalia was appointed an area commander with the local rank of major general.[16] On 1 September, he was appointed Commandant of the National Defence Academy with the acting rank of major-general.[17] He was the Deputy Chief of the Army Staff between 27 January 1959 and 15 November 1964.[18]
Dates of rank
| Insignia | Rank | Component | Date of rank |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Second Lieutenant | British Indian Army | 31 January 1929 |
 |
Lieutenant | British Indian Army | 30 April 1931[19] |
 |
Captain | British Indian Army | 31 January 1938[20] |
 |
Major | British Indian Army | 26 September 1941 (acting)[1] 26 December 1941 (temporary)[1] 31 January 1946 (substantive)[14] |
 |
Lieutenant-Colonel | British Indian Army | 13 August 1944 (acting)[1] 31 January 1946 (temporary)[14] |
|
Major | Indian Army | 15 August 1947[note 1][21] |
 |
Colonel | Indian Army | |
 |
Brigadier | Indian Army | 1948 (acting) 23 December 1949 (temporary)[15][note 1] |
 |
Lieutenant-Colonel | Indian Army | 26 January 1950 (recommissioning and change in insignia)[21] |
 |
Brigadier | Indian Army | 31 January 1950 (substantive)[22] |
 |
Major General | Indian Army | 21 June 1951 (local)[16] 1 September 1951 (acting)[17] |
 |
Lieutenant-General | Indian Army |
Notes
- ^ a b Upon independence in 1947, India became a Dominion within the British Commonwealth of Nations. As a result, the rank insignia of the British Army, incorporating the Tudor Crown and four-pointed Bath Star ("pip"), was retained, as George VI remained Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces. After 26 January 1950, when India became a republic, the President of India became Commander-in-Chief, and the Ashoka Lion replaced the crown, with a five-pointed star being substituted for the "pip."
References
- ^ a b c d Indian Army List for October 1945 (Part I). Government of India Press. 1945. p. 157.
- ^ "First Vice-Chief of Army Staff cremated". The Tribune. 21 May 2001. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
- ^ a b Nanporia, N. J., ed. (1959–60). "Who's Who in India (Wadalia, Mohinder Singh)". The Times of India Directory & Yearbook, including Who's Who. The Times of India Press, Bombay. p. 1226.
- ^ Sharma, Gautam (1996). Nationalisation of the Indian Army, 1885-1947. Allied Publishers Limited. p. 239. ISBN 81-7023-555-3.
- ^ "No. 33462". The London Gazette. 1 February 1929. p. 772.
- ^ "No. 33626". The London Gazette. 18 July 1930. p. 4501.
- ^ Indian Army List for October 1936. Government of India Press. 1936. p. 428.
- ^ Indian Army List for October 1938. Government of India Press. 1938. p. 428.
- ^ Indian Army List for October 1941. Government of India Press. 1941. pp. 8A.
- ^ Indian Army List for July 1942. Government of India Press. 1942. p. 10.
- ^ Indian Army List for October 1943. Government of India Press. 1943. p. 11.
- ^ "No. 36120". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 August 1943. p. 3526.
- ^ Indian Army List for October 1945. Government of India Press. 1945. pp. 8D.
- ^ a b c "No. 37579". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 May 1946. p. 2517.
- ^ a b "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 28 January 1950. p. 157.
- ^ a b "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 15 September 1951. p. 174.
- ^ a b "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 13 October 1951. p. 195.
- ^ "Deputy Army Chief retires" (PDF). 18 November 1964. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
- ^ "No. 33727". The London Gazette. 19 June 1931. p. 3396.
- ^ "No. 34492". The London Gazette. 11 March 1938. p. 1673.
- ^ a b "New Designs of Crests and Badges in the Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 August 2017.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 24 June 1950. p. 70.
This page was last edited on 24 December 2023, at 12:29