Joginder Singh Dhillon

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Template:Infobox military person

Lieutenant General Joginder Singh Dhillon (19 November 1914–20 November 2003) was an officer in the British Indian Army and then the Indian Army. Dhillon Born in Jat Sikh Family. He was the first Army Officer to be awarded the Padma Bhushan, given for his role in the 1965 India-Pakistan War, where he was the General Officer Commanding Corps (XI corps).

Career

Dhillon served overseas in the British Indian Army after his 1939 graduation with honours from Thomason Engineering College in Roorkee. His active service during World War II occurred in Burma, Iran and Iraq, following which he spent some time at the Staff College in Quetta. He served as commander of a field company in Malaya during 1945-46 and then briefly of another in Sourabaya.[1]

From 1946 to 1947, Dhillon served as a staff officer in the Engineer-in-Chief's Office and then returned to Quetta as a garrison engineer. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in late 1947, becoming GSO1 in the Engineer-in-Chief Branch from October 1947 to February 1948, before being put in charge of the regimental centre of the Bengal Sappers in Roorkee. This centre was soon to become a part of the newly-created Pakistan and thus there were significant administrative preparations during his time there. Among his significant changes, other than those related to the forthcoming split with Pakistan, were measures to end caste-ist practices and to encourage joint celebration by Sikhs and Hindus of their respective significant religious days.[1]

Jawaharlal Nehru visited the Roorkee centre in 1949 and was so impressed that he asked for Dhillon to command the first Republic Day Parade held in Delhi in 1950.[1] On 6 December 1949, by then a major (temporary lieutenant-colonel and acting colonel) Dhillon was promoted to acting brigadier and given command of a brigade.[2]

Dhillon then commanded two infantry brigades and also served as director of technical development and director of weapons and equipment at army headquarters before being promoted to Major General in 1957. As Major General, he was selected to attend a course at Imperial Defence College in the United Kingdom, and returned to a posting at the National Defence College. In August 1960, he was given command of a division, and then he became Deputy Chief of General Staff at Army headquarters when he was promoted to GOC, XI corps in Punjab.[1] He was promoted to substantive lieutenant-general on 17 January 1964.[3]

Role in 2nd India-Pakistan War, 1965

Dhillon, as Commander of XI Corps, was responsible for the Punjab sector during the 1965 India-Pakistan War. He is credited in producing and conducting the battle plan that destroyed or captured over 100 superior Pakistani battle tanks, turning a potentially dangerous defeat into victory, as the Pakistani tanks were poised to head for the Beas Bridge and then on to Delhi.[1]

Frank Moraes, the editor-in-chief of the Indian Express, who spent time on the frontlines, wrote: Template:Quote

Dhillon was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1966[1] for his role in the 1965 war, becoming the first Army officer to receive the award.[4] The citation given for the award was as follows: Template:Quote

Following the war, Dhillon was promoted to Army Commander of the Central Command, from where he retired on 4 August 1970.[1]

Personal life

Dhillon was married for 62 years to his wife Minnie, who survived him after his death, aged 89, on 20 November 2003. They had three daughters.[1]

Dates of rank

Insignia Rank Component Date of rank
Error creating thumbnail: Second Lieutenant British Indian Army 1 February 1936[5]
File:British Army (1920-1953) OF-1b.svg Lieutenant British Indian Army 15 April 1938[5]
File:British Army (1920-1953) OF-2.svg Captain British Indian Army 1940 (acting)
1 December 1940 (temporary)[5]
23 August 1942 (war-substantive)[5]
3 February 1943 (substantive)[5]
File:British Army (1920-1953) OF-3.svg Major British Indian Army 1 December 1940 (acting)[5]
23 August 1942 (temporary)[5]
File:British Army OF-2.svg Captain Indian Army 15 August 1947[note 1][6]
File:British Army (1920-1953) OF-4.svg Lieutenant-Colonel Indian Army September 1947 (temporary)[note 1]
File:British Army (1920-1953) OF-3.svg Major Indian Army 1948 (substantive)[note 1]
File:British Army (1920-1953) OF-5.svg Colonel Indian Army 1949 (acting)[note 1][2]
File:British Army (1928-1953) OF-6.svg Brigadier Indian Army 6 December 1949 (acting)[note 1][2]
File:Major of the Indian Army.svg Major Indian Army 26 January 1950 (recommissioning and change in insignia)[6]
File:Lieutenant Colonel of the Indian Army.svg Lieutenant-Colonel Indian Army 3 February 1953[7]
File:Colonel of the Indian Army.svg Colonel Indian Army 3 February 1957[8]
File:Brigadier of the Indian Army.svg Brigadier Indian Army 1953 (acting)[7]
3 February 1958 (substantive)[9]
File:Major General of the Indian Army.svg Major General Indian Army 15 January 1958 (acting)[10]
1 June 1960 (substantive)[11]
File:Lieutenant General of the Indian Army.svg Lieutenant-General Indian Army 23 November 1963 (acting)[12]
17 January 1964 (substantive)[3]

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Last salute to the lion of 1965. The Indian Express(19 December 2003). Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 [{{{url}}} Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)](28 January 1950).
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 [{{{url}}} Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)](2 May 1964).
  4. ↑ Unique Achievements. Bengal Sappers Officers Association.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Indian Army List Special Edition for August 1947{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Government of India Press(1947)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 New Designs of Crests and Badges in the Services. Press Information Bureau of India - Archive.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 [{{{url}}} Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)](1 November 1952).
  8. ↑ [{{{url}}} Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)](22 September 1956).
  9. ↑ [{{{url}}} Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)](5 April 1958).
  10. ↑ [{{{url}}} Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)](15 February 1958).
  11. ↑ [{{{url}}} Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)](16 September 1961).
  12. ↑ [{{{url}}} Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)](1 February 1964).


References

Template:Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Template:PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 1960–69
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