Lieutenant General Abhay Krishna PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC
Allegiance	India
Service/branch	Indian Army
Years of service	7 June 1980 – 30 September 2019
Rank	Lieutenant General
Service number	IC-38679A
Unit	Rajputana Rifles
Commands held	Central Command Eastern Command South Western Command III Corps 27 Mountain Division
Awards	Param Vishisht Seva Medal Uttam Yudh Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Sena Medal Vishisht Seva Medal

Lieutenant General Abhay Krishna, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC is a retired officer of Indian Army. He served as General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Central Command from 1 October 2018 following the retirement of Lieutenant General Balwant Singh Negi, to 30 September 2019.^[1] He was succeeded by Lieutenant General Iqroop Singh Ghuman.^[2] Prior to that, he commanded the Eastern Command and South Western Command of the Indian Army^[3][4]

Early life and education

Krishna is an alumnus of St Xavier's High School, Patna; National Defence Academy,^[5] Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.

Career

Krishna was commissioned into Rajputana Rifles on 7 June 1980. He has vast experience and has served four tenures along Line of Actual Control, two tenures as UN observer, in Mozambique & Rwanda and as Chief of Staff (UN forces) in Burundi. He has commanded a Rashtriya Rifles Battalion in the Kashmir valley, an infantry battalion in Sikkim, Brigadier General Staff 3 Corps, 27 Mountain division (Kalimpong), Chief of Staff (Delhi area) and GOC III Corps (Dimapur).^[6][7][8] He has served as GOC-in-C of the South Western Command (25 January 2017 – 30 July 2017) and GOC-in-C of Eastern Command (1 August 2017 – 30 September 2018). He commanded the RR during Operation Hifazat (Manipur) and Operation Rakshak (Kupwara).^{[9][3][10][11][12][13]}

Honours and decorations

During 39 years of his career, he has won a gallantry award in 1994 for being taken hostage, negotiating for release of other hostages and demobilisation of rebel forces during UN Peace Keeping Mission in Mozambique. He has also been awarded a Vishisht Sena Medal, Sena Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2014,^[14] Uttam Yudh Seva Medal in 2017 and Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2018.^[15][16][17] He was also the Colonel of the Regiment Rajputana Rifles and was Second-in-Command for the Republic Day parade in 2015.^{[3][9][18][19]}

Dates of rank

Insignia	Rank	Component	Date of rank
	Second Lieutenant	Indian Army	7 June 1980[20]
	Lieutenant	Indian Army	7 June 1982[21]
	Captain	Indian Army	7 June 1985[22]
	Major	Indian Army	7 June 1991[23]
	Lieutenant-Colonel	Indian Army	31 December 2002[24]
	Colonel	Indian Army	1 February 2005[25]
	Brigadier	Indian Army	1 September 2008 (seniority from 8 January 2008)[26]
	Major General	Indian Army	1 January 2013 (seniority from 4 April 2011)[27]
	Lieutenant-General	Indian Army	12 October 2015 (substantive)[28]

References