Vishal Meena Phagi at 06:54, 19 March 2026

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{{Short description|Indian general officer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox military person
|honorific_prefix = [[Lieutenant General]]
|name = I S Gill
|honorific_suffix = [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal|PVSM]], [[Military Cross|MC]]
|birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1922|01|16}}{{sfn|S. Muthiah|2008|page=4}}<ref name="FBH">{{cite web|url=http://faujibyheart.blogspot.com/2011/08/lt-general-inderjit-singh-gill-pvsm-mc.html|access-date=14 September 2018|title=Lt. General Inderjit Singh Gill - PVSM, MC|date=27 August 2011}}</ref>
|death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2001|05|30|1922|01|16}}<ref name="RMS">{{cite web|url=http://reportmysignal.blogspot.com/2008/02/remembering-lt-gen-inderjit-gill-pvsm.html|title=Remembering Lt Gen Inderjit Singh Gill, PVSM, MC|date=26 February 2008|access-date=14 September 2018}}</ref>
|birth_place = [[United Kingdom]]<ref name="interview">{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/A-soldier-first/article15376124.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|first=Sangeeta|last=Barooah Pisharoty|access-date=14 September 2018|title=Soldier First|date=24 March 2008}}</ref>
|death_place = [[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]
|allegiance = {{flagu|Britain}} {{flagu|British India}} {{flagu|India}}
|branch = {{army|Britain}} {{army|British India}} {{army|India}}
|servicenumber = 229329 (British Army)<ref name="London_Gazette"/> {{nobr|IC-1641 (Br. Indian/Indian Army){{sfn|S. Muthiah|2008|page=90}}}}
|serviceyears = 1941–1979<ref name="TNSI">{{cite web|url=https://southwestsun.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/april-20_2008_moushumi.pdf| newspaper=The New Indian Express (The New Sunday Express)|last=Padmanabhan|first=Sundararajan| access-date=14 September 2018| title=Soldier's soldier brought to life}}</ref>
|unit = {{plainlist|
*[[Parachute Regiment (India)|Parachute Regiment]]
*[[Royal Engineers]]}}
|rank = [[File:Lieutenant General of the Indian Army.svg|20px]] [[Lieutenant General]]
|commands = {{plainlist|
* [[Western Command (India)|Western Command]]
* [[50th Parachute Brigade (India)|50 (I) Parachute Brigade]]{{sfn|S. Muthiah|2008|page=143}}
* [[71 Mountain Brigade]]{{sfn|S. Muthiah|2008|page=143}}
* [[Parachute Regiment (India)|1 Para]]<ref name="FBH" />
* [[Ladakh Scouts|14 J&K Militia]]{{sfn|S. Muthiah|2008|page=95}}
* [[Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry|10 J&K Militia]]{{sfn|S. Muthiah|2008|page=95}}
}}
|battles = {{plainlist|
*[[Operation Harling]]
*[[Bangladesh Liberation War]]
}}
|awards = {{plainlist|
*[[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
*[[Military Cross]]
}}
}}

[[Lieutenant General]] '''Inderjit Singh Gill''', [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal|PVSM]], [[Military Cross|MC]] (16 January 1922 – 30 May 2001)<ref name="RMS" /> was a [[general officer]] in the [[Indian Army]]. He was the officiating Director of Military Operations (DMO)<ref name="FBH" /> of the [[Indian Army]] during the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]]. He retired in 1979 after serving as the [[Western Command (India)|Western Army Commander]].

== Early life ==
Gill was born in 1922 in a [[Jat]] Sikh family of [[Lieutenant Colonel]] Gurdial Singh Gill of the [[Indian Medical Service]] and his Scottish wife, Rena Lister.<ref name="Madras">{{cite web|url=http://madrasmusings.com/Vol%2024%20No%2013/madras-landmarks.html|title=Madras Landmarks|access-date=14 September 2018}}</ref> Having done his schooling in India, he was studying engineering at the [[University of Edinburgh]] when the [[World War II|second world war]] broke out, and in 1941 he dropped out to enlist in the [[Black Watch]].<ref name="FBH"/>

== Military career ==
===World War II===
He was commissioned into the [[Royal Engineers|Corps of Royal Engineers]] as a [[Second Lieutenant]] on 5 April 1942. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 5 October 1942.

The British [[Special Operations Executive]] planned [[Operation Animals]] to deceive the Axis Powers into believing that Greece was the target of an Allied amphibious landing, instead of Sicily. Gill served in this operation, for which he was awarded the [[Military Cross]] in the [[London Gazette]] on 3 February 1944 as a Lieutenant (acting Captain). His citation (which was not made public) read: {{quote|''"Capt. Gill proceeded in mufti with Maj. Barker on a reconnaissance of the railway on the South edge of the Thessaly Plain between 14 and 18 June. This reconnaissance necessitated a night journey across the Plain on horseback, and, due to enemy patrolling, for the reconnaissance to be carried out in mufti. Four days later he returned with explosives and one Andarti assistant and successfully demolished a bridge to the south of Proerna. During the reconnaissance and during the actual operation he showed the greatest coolness and courage and complete disregard for personal danger. Due to the proximity of German patrols on the railway, he was at all times in grave risk of being discovered. The successful achievement of this operation was entirely due to his personal gallantry.''

''During the past three months Capt. Gill's work has been of the very highest order. He has consistently worked unsparingly and his work has been an inspiration to the Andartis with him."''

(TNA WO 373/46, 20 September 1943. A note at the bottom said: ''Should this award be approved, it is requested that no details should be made public or communicated to the press)''<ref name="sabotage">{{cite book |last=O'Connor |first=Bernard |title=Sabotage in Greece |year=2014 |page=234 |publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=978-1-291-85407-7}}</ref>}}

He was also [[Mentioned in Dispatches|mentioned in dispatches]] in the London Gazette of 6 April 1944 for services in the Middle East.

===Post-Independence===
Just prior to [[Indian independence movement|India's independence]], Gill relinquished his British commission and joined the Indian Army.<ref name="LonGaz">London Gazette 21/11/1989, page 13429 - Corps of Royal Engineers - Emergency Commn - Lt. I. S. GILL, M.C. (229329) relinquishes his commn., 6 May 1947 on appt. to Indian Army (Substituted for the notifn{{?}}. in Gazette (Supplement) dated 27 January 1950).</ref> On 7 May 1947, he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the British Indian Army (seniority from 5 July 1944) and with seniority in his former rank of second lieutenant from 5 January 1943.<ref name="Indian_Army"/> He was promoted to [[captain (armed forces)|captain]] in the newly re-designated Indian Army on 5 January 1949.<ref name="captain">{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=73 |date=9 April 1955 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>

Gill attended the [[Defence Services Staff College]] in 1954. In 1955, he took over command of the 1st battalion [[Parachute Regiment (India)|The Parachute regiment]] (1 Para), and was promoted to [[Major (rank)|major]] on 5 January 1956.<ref name="major">{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=33 |date=9 February 1957 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> After Brigade and Division level commands, he was appointed the Director Military Training (DMT). He was the officiating Director Military Operations (DMO) during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]].{{fact|date=December 2021}}

Gill was awarded the [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]] as a [[Major General]] in 1967 and was awarded the [[Padma Bhushan]] in 1972<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |title=Padma Awards |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |date=2015 |access-date=21 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=15 October 2015}}</ref> for his role as the officiating Director of Military Operations in the [[Bangladesh Liberation War|1971 Indo-Pak War]].<ref name="BusStd">{{cite news|title=Tales of an Officer and a Gentleman |url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/tales-of-an-officer-and-a-gentleman-108022201069_1.html |newspaper=Business Standard |date=5 February 2013 |first=Sreya |last=Ray |access-date=20 April 2018}}</ref>

After the war, Gill was promoted to lieutenant-general on 1 April 1974.<ref name="lt_gen"/> He commanded a Corps in the [[Eastern Command (India)|eastern theater]]. Upon promotion to Army Commander, he served as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief [[Western Command (India)|Western Command]], and retired on 1 June 1979.<ref name="TNSI" />

== Post-retirement ==
Upon retirement, Gill chose to reside in Chennai, where he was a trustee of various institutions set up by his father. He died on 30 May 2001.<ref name="RMS" /><ref name="Hindu">{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/2001/06/10/stories/13100466.htm| first=Subbiah |last=Mutthiah| access-date=14 September 2018|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|date=2001-06-10|title=A place in fiction}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==Dates of rank==
{|class="wikitable" style="background:white"
! Insignia !! Rank !! Component !! Date of rank
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_(1920-1953)_OF-1a.svg|35px]] || [[Second lieutenant#United Kingdom & other Commonwealth countries|Second Lieutenant]] || [[British Army]] || 5 April 1942 (emergency)<ref name="London_Gazette">{{London Gazette |issue=35533|date=21 April 1942 |page=1800|supp=y}}</ref><ref name="British_Army_List_46">{{cite book|pages=638q|title=The Quarterly Army List (Part I) December 1946|publisher=HM Stationery Office|year=1946}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_(1920-1953)_OF-1b.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant (British Army and Royal Marines)|Lieutenant]] || British Army || 5 October 1942 (war-substantive)<ref name="British_Army_List_46"/>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British Army (1920–1953) OF-2.svg|35px]] || [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|Captain]] || British Army || 21 March 1945 (temporary)<ref name="British_Army_List_46"/>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_(1920-1953)_OF-1b.svg|35px]] || Lieutenant || [[British Indian Army]] || 7 May 1947 (seniority from 5 July 1944)<ref name="Indian_Army">{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=44 |date=26 January 1955 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref><ref name="2lt" group="note">With seniority as a second lieutenant from 5 January 1943.</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British_Army_(1920-1953)_OF-1b.svg|35px]] || Lieutenant || [[Indian Army]] || 15 August 1947<ref name="insignia" group="note">Upon independence in 1947, India became a [[Dominion of India|Dominion]] within the British [[Commonwealth of Nations]]. As a result, the rank insignia of the [[British Army]], incorporating the [[Tudor Crown (heraldry)|Tudor Crown]] and four-pointed [[Order of the Bath|Bath Star]] ("pip"), was retained, as [[George VI of the United Kingdom|George VI]] remained Commander-in-Chief of the [[Indian Armed Forces]]. After 26 January 1950, when India became a [[Republic of India|republic]], the [[President of India]] became Commander-in-Chief, and the [[Lion Capital of Asoka|Ashoka Lion]] replaced the crown, with a five-pointed star being substituted for the "pip."</ref><ref name="insignia_designs"/>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:British Army (1920–1953) OF-2.svg|35px]] || Captain || Indian Army || 5 January 1949<ref name="captain"/><ref name="insignia" group="note">Upon independence in 1947, India became a [[Dominion of India|Dominion]] within the British [[Commonwealth of Nations]]. As a result, the rank insignia of the [[British Army]], incorporating the [[Tudor Crown (heraldry)|Tudor Crown]] and four-pointed [[Order of the Bath|Bath Star]] ("pip"), was retained, as [[George VI of the United Kingdom|George VI]] remained Commander-in-Chief of the [[Indian Armed Forces]]. After 26 January 1950, when India became a [[Republic of India|republic]], the [[President of India]] became Commander-in-Chief, and the [[Lion Capital of Asoka|Ashoka Lion]] replaced the crown, with a five-pointed star being substituted for the "pip."</ref><ref name="insignia_designs"/>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Captain_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || Captain || Indian Army || 26 January 1950 (recommissioning and change in insignia)<ref name="insignia_designs">{{cite web|title=New Designs of Crests and Badges in the Services|url=http://pib.nic.in/archive/docs/DVD_38/ACC%20NO%20807-BR/HOM-1950-01-06_484.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808193914/http://pib.nic.in/archive/docs/DVD_38/ACC%20NO%20807-BR/HOM-1950-01-06_484.pdf|archive-date=8 August 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=227 |date=11 February 1950 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Major_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Major (rank)|Major]] || Indian Army || 5 January 1956<ref name="major"/>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Lieutenant_Colonel_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] || Indian Army || 5 January 1959
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Colonel_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Colonel]] || Indian Army || 25 November 1965<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=465 |date=10 June 1967 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Brigadier_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Brigadier]] || Indian Army || 27 August 1964 (acting)<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=404 |date=3 October 1964 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> 1 May 1967 (substantive)<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=98 |date=10 February 1968 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Major_General_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Major general#India|Major General]] || Indian Army || 2 June 1969 (substantive)<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=987 |date=27 September 1969 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|-
|align="center" |[[File:Lieutenant_General_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant-General]] || Indian Army || 22 October 1973 (acting)<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=235 |date=23 February 1974 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref> 1 April 1974 (substantive)<ref name="lt_gen">{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=353 |date=15 March 1975 |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
|}

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
*{{cite book|title=Born to Dare: The Life of Lt. Gen. Inderjit Singh Gill, PVSM, MC |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xHFjLQAACAAJ |publisher=Penguin |author=S. Muthiah |authorlink=S. Muthiah |year=2008 |isbn=9780670081882}}

{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 1970–79}}
{{Indo-Pakistani War of 1971}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gill, Inderjit Singh}}
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in civil service]]
[[Category:Indian generals]]
[[Category:Indian people of Scottish descent]]
[[Category:Generals of the India–Pakistan war of 1971]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
[[Category:Royal Engineers officers]]
[[Category:Indian recipients of the Military Cross]]
[[Category:1922 births]]
[[Category:2001 deaths]]
[[Category:British emigrants to India]]
[[Category:Defence Services Staff College alumni]]

Inderjit Singh Gill - Revision history

Vishal Meena Phagi at 06:54, 19 March 2026