Former Vice Chief of Army Staff passes away

A former Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Vijay Oberoi, passed away in Chandigarh Army Hospital on Sunday. He was 84.

He was commissioned into the Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre (MLIRC) in June 1961.

In 1965, while serving with the Marathas in J&K, he was grievously wounded and lost his right leg. But he continued to serve the nation for over 40 years. He served as Colonel of the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment, Director-General Military Operations, Army Commander of Army Training Command (ARTRAC) and Army Commander Western Command.

He retired as Vice-Chief of Army Staff on September 30, 2001. He was a graduate of the U.S. Army War College and Military Adviser to Malaysia. He was known for his dedication to national security and soldier welfare.

He was the founder-president of War Wounded Foundation and Founder-Director of Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS).

He fought for dignity and financial independence of war-disabled soldiers. At 72, he ran the Mumbai Marathon on his prosthetic leg to prove that spirit never retires, said a release.