Major General Rajendra Nath PVSM (born 1925) is a retired Indian Army officer.

Military career

Nath graduated from the Indian Military Academy and was the commissioned into the

11th Gorkha Rifles The 11 Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army that was re-raised after independence. The regiment consists of primarily the Kirant Tribes Rai, Limbu, Yakkha, Sunuwar of Eastern Nepal, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Dooars of West Benga ...

in 1947. In 1952, he served in the Military Intelligence Directorate in New Delhi. He volunteered to lead a reconnaissance team into Aksai Chin. The team was selected by Nath and included a military engineer, doctor and fifteen men. Interpreters and linguists were attached. They also carried with them gifts for distribution such as sweets, kerosene oil, sugar and medicines. Animals such as ponies were taken to carry supplies. The reconnaissance team started on 5 October and according to media reports trekked across Chang La, Marsmik La, Chang Chenmo River valley ending the mission at Lanak La. They returned on 15 November. The findings of the reconnaissance remain a secret till date. During the 1971 war, Nath was in charge of the 62 Mountain Brigade. Men under Major General Mohammad Hussain Ansari of 9 Pakistan Division surrendered to the Nath. From 1959-61 he got the opportunity to attend a course at the

Canadian Army Staff College Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

. He taught at Defence Services Staff College in Wellington Cantonment, from 1965-68. He was also commander of an infantry division in Jammu and Kashmir. He later served as

Commandant of the Indian Military Academy The Commandant of the Indian Military Academy is a post created in 1932 for the purpose of leading the Indian Military Academy in its education of "gentleman cadets". The Commandant must hold a rank of lieutenant general ( three star equivalen ...

in 1979-80. He retired in 1982.

Later career

Nath has been associated with the Institute for the Blind in Chandigarh since 1982. He has been awarded for his social work, including a Haryana Ratan in 2005.

Publications

Books * 1990: ''Military Leadership in India: Vedic Period to Indo-Pak Wars''. Lancer Books. * 2009: ''Flash Points in South Asia''. (With Kuldip Ludra). * 2016: ''Strategic Ladakh: A Historical Narrative 1951-53 and a Military Perspective''. Vij Books. Essays *
Gulf War and Security of South Asia
' (January - March 1989) USI Journal.
''Indian XI Corps and Battle of Asal Uttar 1965.''
Indian Military History.

References

{{Reflist Indian Army officers Indian Military Academy alumni Commandants of Indian Military Academy Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal