Vikas Lakhera

Lieutenant general Vikas Lakhera, is a serving officer of the Indian Army who was appointed the 22nd Director General of the Assam Rifles on 1 August 2024.

Early life and education Lakhera's hails from Uttarakhand (Tehri district) and attended D.A.V. Post Graduate College, Dehradun before joining the Indian Military Academy.

His professional military education includes courses at the Defence Services Staff College (Wellington), the Higher Defence Management Course at the College of Defence Management (Secunderabad), and the National Defence Course at the Royal College of Defence Studies (London). Civil and academic qualifications reported in media coverage include an M.Sc. from Madras University, an M.A. from King's College London and a Master in Management Studies from Osmania University.

Military career Vikas Lakhera was commissioned into the 4 Sikh Light Infantry on 9 June 1990 via 86th Regular Course. His long association with the North-East and extensive operational experience in counter-insurgency operations have been highlighted in multiple official and media reports.

Awards and decorations Lakhera has been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, India's second highest peacetime award. He was also awarded the Sena Medal for his gallantry actions in the military.