Lieutenant General Rajesh Pushkar AVSM, VSM took charge as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Command on July 1, 2026. He steps into the role vacated by Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain, AVSM, SM, who has moved on to become Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
Four decades in uniform
A National Defence Academy alumnus, Lt Gen Pushkar was commissioned into the 74 Armoured Regiment in December 1988. Over a career spanning more than four decades, he has held command, staff, and instructional appointments across a wide range of geographical and operational settings. Most recently, he played a central role during Operation Sindoor, providing leadership and strategic direction as General Officer Commanding of 2 Corps.
His command tenures include an Armoured Regiment in an operational area, a strategic Independent Armoured Brigade, an Infantry Division, and a premier Strike Corps in the Western Sector. On the staff side, he has served as Colonel Military Secretary in a Strike Corps, Colonel General Staff of an Armoured Division in the Western Sector, Brigadier Quartermaster General of a Strike Corps, Brigadier General Staff of an Operational Command, Additional Director General of the Armoured Corps, and Director General of the Territorial Army. He has also taught at the National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla.
Rajesh Pushkar’s postings and credentials
Lt Gen Pushkar has two international assignments on his record, as part of the Indian Military Training Team to Bhutan, and as Defence and Military Attaché at the Embassy of India in Moscow, with accreditation extending to Armenia and Belarus.
Academically, he holds postgraduate qualifications from the Defence Services Staff College, the College of Defence Management, and the National Defence College of India. His civilian academic credentials include a Master’s in Defence and Strategic Studies, a Master’s in Management Studies, and an MPhil in Defence and International Relations. He has been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, the Vishisht Seva Medal, the Chief of Army Staff Commendation, and three Army Commander’s Commendations.
Rajesh Pushkar Taking command
On assuming charge, Lt Gen Pushkar paid tribute to fallen soldiers at the Southern Command War Memorial and received a Guard of Honour at Headquarters Southern Command. He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to sustaining the highest levels of operational readiness across its areas of responsibility, and stressed the need for greater jointness, indigenous capability development, and faster integration of emerging technologies. He said he was confident that all ranks would continue to uphold the Indian Army’s traditions and maintain the highest standards of operational excellence in service of the nation.
Key Takeaway: Lt Gen Rajesh Pushkar has assumed charge as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Command, succeeding Lt Gen Sandeep Jain. A National Defence Academy alumnus with more than four decades of service, he has held several command, staff, instructional and international appointments, most recently serving as General Officer Commanding of 2 Corps during Operation Sindoor, and has reaffirmed Southern Command’s commitment to operational readiness, jointness, indigenous capability development and the integration of emerging technologies.
M.C.Q.
Question 1: Who has assumed charge as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Indian Army’s Southern Command?
- A. Lt Gen Sandeep Jain
- B. Lt Gen Rajesh Pushkar
- C. Gen Upendra Dwivedi
- D. Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani
Question 2: Lieutenant General Rajesh Pushkar was commissioned into which regiment of the Indian Army?
- A. 61 Cavalry
- B. 74 Armoured Regiment
- C. Brigade of the Guards
- D. Mechanised Infantry Regiment
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