Lachhman Singh Lehl

Early life A native of Hoshiarpur district, His grandfather was the Lehl village headman, while his father was a lawyer who practised in the Hoshiarpur district court. After training at the School of Artillery, Deolali, he received an emergency commission as a second lieutenant in the Royal Indian Artillery on 11 July 1943. His first posting was with the 2nd Indian Field Battery of 1 Indian Field Regiment, a motorised artillery regiment then at Peshawar. After completing the National Defence College (NDC) course in 1969, He took command of the 20th Mountain Division on 13 October 1970, with a promotion to acting major-general. The division was then at Binaguri in West Bengal, and Lehl was advised that due to poor relations between the Eastern Army Commander Jagjit Singh Aurora and the XXXIII Corps Commander Mohan L. Thapan, he would be undertaking a difficult assignment. and was appointed Chief of Staff (COS) I Corps on 19 September 1973.

In retirement at Delhi, Lehl became a military historian, writing a number of highly acclaimed books and articles on Indian Army campaigns. He also served as vice-president of the "War Decorated India Trust."