Alok Singh Kler

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Lieutenant General

Alok Kler

PVSM, VSM, ADC
Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Army
Years of serviceJune 1982 - 2021
Rank Lieutenant General
Service numberIC-40293Y[1]
Unit68th Armoured Regiment
Commands held South Western Army
II Corps
Awards Param Vishisht Seva Medal
Vishisht Seva Medal

Lieutenant General Alok Singh Kler, PVSM, VSM, ADC is a retired General Officer in the Indian Army who last served as General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief of the South Western Command. He assumed office on 1 September 2019, taking over from Lt Gen Cherish Mathson.[2]

Early life and education[edit]

Alok was born into the Kler military family which originated from Sarhal Qazian nawashar then moved to Kakrala Kalan near Ludhiana, Punjab, India. The family has over 300 years of service in the Indian Armed Forces. His father, Gen Gurdev Singh Kler was Mentioned in dispatches (MiD) in Sialkot in Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 fighting with 18th Cavalry. Commanding 56 Brigade, he was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) for capturing the largest group of armed insurgents in Nagaland in the 1970s. Commanding an armoured brigade and division, he was Director General of Military Training (DGMT) and commanded the Armoured Corps Centre and School in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra before retiring as a Lieutenant General.[citation needed]

His elder brother, Jasjit Singh Kler was in the Indian Air Force. He served as the Commandant of the National Defence Academy before retiring as an Air Marshal.[3] His Uncle, Gen Hardev Singh Kler was awarded the Mahavir Chakra in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 for commanding 95 Brigade. His formation was among the first to enter Dhaka.[4] Alok's father-in-law, Brigadier Narinder Singh Sandhu saw action in both the wars of 1965 and 1971 and was awarded the Mahavir Chakra.[5][6] Alok attended Mayo College, Ajmer[7] before graduating from the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy.[8]

Career[edit]

Kler was commissioned into 68 Armoured Regiment in June 1982. He has attended Defence Services Staff College at Wellington, the Battalion Commander Combat Course at Germany, the Higher Command Course at Army War College, Mhow, and the National Defence College at Bangladesh.[9][8]

Kler commanded an Armoured regiment, an Armoured Brigade in the western sector and the same Armoured Division which was commanded by his father.[10] He later commanded the Strike Corps (II Corps) in the Western theatre.[8] He has also held important staff positions like the Chief of Staff of Army Training Command (ARTRAC). He later served as the Director General Military Training (DGMT).[11] He has been awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2015 and a COAS Commendation card in 2009.[12][13]

Kler has a keen interest in cycling, fitness and sports. He made news when he cycled 270 km from Delhi to Jaipur to take command of the South Western Command. As an Army Commander, he was entitled to fly down to his headquarters or drive down in a cavalcade of military vehicles.[7][14][15]

“Cycling is a terrific workout and I am passionate about it. I believe fitness should be a personal mission and not imposed by the organisation. It sends a message of fitness to the men under my command and others too,” said Gen Kler.[7]

He also carried out a para jump, after taking over the South Western Command. He jumped out an ALH Dhruv helicopter on 25 October.[16] He had earlier, as the DGMT, carried out a para jump Nasik by service aircraft from 10,000-12,000 feet.[11]

Kler retired from the Army on 31 March 2021.[17]

Awards and decorations[edit]

Param Vishisht Seva Medal Vishisht Seva Medal
Samanya Seva Medal Special Service Medal Operation Vijay Medal
Operation Parakram Medal Sainya Seva Medal High Altitude Service Medal Videsh Seva Medal
50th Anniversary of Independence Medal 30 Years Long Service Medal 20 Years Long Service Medal 9 Years Long Service Medal

Dates of rank[edit]

Insignia Rank Component Date of rank
Second Lieutenant Indian Army 12 June 1982[1]
Lieutenant Indian Army 12 June 1984
Captain Indian Army 12 June 1987[18]
Major Indian Army 12 June 1993[19]
Lieutenant-Colonel Indian Army 16 December 2004[20]
Colonel Indian Army 1 March 2006[21]
Brigadier Indian Army 1 January 2010 (substantive, with seniority from 7 January 2009)[22]
Major General Indian Army 12 December 2014 (substantive, with seniority from 3 June 2012)[23]
Lieutenant-General Indian Army 20 May 2017 (with seniority from 1 May 2017)[24]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 10 June 1989. p. 797.
  2. ^ Sep 1, TNN | Updated. "Sapta Shakti Command chief Cherish Mathson retires | Jaipur News - Times of India". The Times of India.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "Comdts Gallery". nda.nic.in.
  4. ^ "HARDEV SINGH KLER | Gallantry Awards". gallantryawards.gov.in.
  5. ^ "NARINDER SINGH SANDHU | Gallantry Awards". gallantryawards.gov.in.
  6. ^ "Which family has 300 years of service in India's armed forces? Know the Klers". Hindustan Times. 30 July 2017.
  7. ^ a b c "General to cycle from Delhi to Jaipur to take up new appointment". Hindustan Times. 30 August 2019.
  8. ^ a b c Sep 2, TNN | Updated. "Kler is new chief of Sapta Shakti Command | Jaipur News - Times of India". The Times of India.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ "Our Star Cast 2017 | Khushwant Singh Literary Festival". kslitfest.com.
  10. ^ "Our Star Cast 2017 | Khushwant Singh Literary Festival". kslitfest.com.
  11. ^ a b "58-year-old Army Lt Gen carries out Para jump". Business Standard India. 6 May 2019.
  12. ^ "Our Star Cast 2017 | Khushwant Singh Literary Festival". kslitfest.com.
  13. ^ "The Official Home Page of the Indian Army". www.indianarmy.nic.in.
  14. ^ "Lt General Alok Kler disrupted convention with cycling odyssey; change of command ceremony is no place to exhibit passion for fitness". Firstpost.
  15. ^ JaipurSeptember 1, Indo-Asian News Service; September 1, Indo-Asian News Service; Ist, Indo-Asian News Service. "Army commander cycles to Jaipur to take charge". India Today.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ "South-Western Army Commander Lt Gen Kler carries out para jump". www.aninews.in.
  17. ^ "Lt Gen Amardeep Singh Bhinder takes over as chief of South Western Command". The Economic Times. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  18. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 25 August 1990. p. 1362.
  19. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 18 September 1993. p. 1658.
  20. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 15 October 2005. p. 18.
  21. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 21 April 2007. p. 634.
  22. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 16 February 2013. p. 272.
  23. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 21 May 2016. p. 1308.
  24. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 9 February 2019. p. 393.
Military offices
Preceded by General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief South Western Command
1 September 2019 – 31 March 2021 		Succeeded by
Amardeep Singh Bhinder
Preceded by General Officer Commanding II Corps
2018 - 2019 		Succeeded by
Manmohan Jeet Singh Kahlon
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