Samir Kumar Chakravorty

Major General Samir Kumar Chakravorty, AVSM, SC, SM & bar (born 1955) is a former General Officer of the Indian Army. He last served as the General officer commanding 28 Infantry Division. During the Kargil War in 1999, he commanded 18 Garhwal Rifles which received the Chief of the Army Staff’s unit citation and the Battle Honour Drass and the Theatre Honour Kargil for feats of gallant action. Inspector General - Operations (IG-Ops), National Security Guard (NSG) and Commanding Officer (CO) of the 18th battalion of the Garhwal rifles during Kargil war.

In 1985, he was awarded the Sena Medal (Gallantry) as Captain in the Scouts Battalion of the Garwhal Rifles for a rescue operation above 22,000 feet in Mana Sector, Jammu. Later, in 1993 as a Major, he was awarded the Chief Of Army Staff Commendation Card (COAS CC) for his service during Operation Ashwamedh – the only successful counter hijack operation in Amritsar – the third highest peacetime gallantry award in India – for acts of Gallantry in Jammu and Kashmir during Operation Rakshak.

He was awarded a second Sena Medal in 1999 (Bar to Sena) as the Commanding Officer of 18 Garhwal Rifles during Operation Vijay in Kargil (also known as the Kargil War). His battalion that fought the war was awarded six Vir Chakras, eleven Sena Medals, and 10 Chief Of Army Staff Commendation Cards (COAS CC). Over twenty days, 18 Garwhal Rifles launched three attacks – two at point 5100 and one at point 4700. - a retaliatory strike against Pakistan along the Line of Control. The Operation was a direct response to surprise attack on an Indian army post in the Kupwara region that killed 6 soldiers. According to media reports, the strike resulted in at-least 13 Pakistani casualties. Later, in 2012, General Chakravorty received the Ati Vishist Seva Medal for distinguished service as the General Commanding Officer during Operation Rakshak for the Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorist Operations in the Kupwara and Gurez sectors in the Kashmir region.

Awards and decorations

Personal life Chakravorty is married to Bipasha Chakravorty, daughter of Colonel Bimalango Chatterjee who was killed in action in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. The couple has two daughters Ishani Chakravorty who is a fashion entrepreneur and Major Sarmishta Chakravorty who is presently serving as a doctor with the Indian Army.