Lieutenant General Yogesh Kumar Joshi, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VrC, SM, ADC (born 5 January 1962) is a retired General Officer of the Indian Army. He was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command, assuming office from Lt Gen Ranbir Singh on 1 February 2020.^[2][3] He last served as the Chief of staff of the Northern Command, assuming the office from Lt Gen SK Sharma.^[4] Previously, he was the commander of Leh based Fire & Fury Corps. As Army Commander he is credited with spearheading the Indian response to PLA's attempt to alter the status quo on Line of Actual Control (LAC) by use of force. He is the only war decorated Army Commander who has to his credit successes against both Indian adversaries China and Pakistan.^[5]

Quick Facts 24th General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Preceded by ...

Lieutenant General Y. K. Joshi PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VrC, SM, ADC
Official portrait, 1999
24th General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command
In office 1 February 2020 – 31 January 2022
Preceded by	Ranbir Singh
Succeeded by	Upendra Dwivedi
Personal details
Born	(1962-01-05) 5 January 1962 (age 62)[1]
Awards	Param Vishisht Seva Medal Uttam Yudh Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Vir Chakra Sena Medal
Nickname(s)	Joe Chanakya
Military service
Allegiance	India
Branch/service	Indian Army
Years of service	12 June 1982 – 31 January 2022
Rank	Lieutenant General
Unit	13 JAK RIF
Commands	Northern Command XIV Corps 13 JAK RIF
Battles/wars	Kargil War Operation Vijay Battle of Tiger Hill

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Gen Joshi hails from Faridabad, Haryana but has done his schooling from Jhansi and Faridabad. He is the son of R P Joshi.^[6] He is a graduate of the 60th course and was allotted Kilo "K" squadron at the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Pune, Maharashtra.^[7] Then he attended Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.

He was commissioned into 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles.^[8][9][10] His instructional tenure was at Infantry School Mhow where he was responsible to impart training on Anti Tank Weapon Systems. Being an epitome of a 'scholar warrior' he attended Defense Services Staff College, Wellington and was posted to Military Operations Directorate for the first time, since then he has served in Military Operations directorate thrice in various capacities which have enriched his professional competencies in the operational paradigm to include both putative adversaries of India, namely China and Pakistan. He had the distinction to command his Brigade in Eastern Ladakh and also the Division in the same area, thus giving him first hand ground knowledge which held him in good stead during Operation SNOW LEOPARD. He has also served as the ADG of Military Operations Branch in the Army HQ during the critical period of Surgical Strikes against Pakistan in 2016 and was responsible for the planning of the operations at the Military Operations Branch. Prior to his appointment as GOC of XIV Corp he was DG Infantry and spearheaded the modernization drive of the infantry with missionary zeal and a large number of weapon systems and equipment like the Sig Saur Rifle were procured under his tutelage. He is the colonel of the regiment of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles & the Ladakh Scouts and has been deeply involved with welfare and development of people of the remote region of Ladakh. He was the 17th Commander, XIV Corps of the Indian Army and assumed the post on 31 August 2018, This was General Joshi's fourth tenure dealing with Chinese troops.^[11] He assumed the post from Lt General Santosh Kumar Upadhya.^[12][8]

The citation for the Vir Chakra reads as follows^[18]

Gazette Notification: 18 Pres/2000,15-8-99

Operation: - Date of Award: 15 Aug 1999

CITATION

LIEUTENANT COLONEL YOGESH KUMAR JOSHI

13 JAMMU AND KASHMIR RIFLES

Lieutenant Colonel Yogesh Kumar Joshi, 13 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles, was tasked to capture the strategically vital Point 5140 in Drass Sector during "Operation Vijay". Lieutenant Colonel Joshi conceived a brilliant plan catering for coordinated action to achieve total surprise and psychological dominance over the tactically better positioned enemy. He also personally supervised all preliminary actions before the attack. During the attack on 20 June 1999, Lieutenant Colonel Joshi kept motivating his company commanders and kept staging himself forward with utter disregard to his personal safety. Displaying exceptional presence of mind, he responded to changing battle situations in a most competent manner, his leading from the front and being well forward in battle acted as a morale booster to the attacking troops. Drawing inspiration from him, the attacking companies surmounted the heavy odds, rugged in-hospitable terrain and enemy fire to close in and capture the objective, important peak of Point 5140.

Lieutenant Colonel Yogesh Kumar Joshi displayed exemplary leadership, outstanding command and control and valour beyond the call of duty, leading to killing of six enemy intruders and recapturing of the strategically vital Point 5140 in Drass Sector.

During his career, he has been awarded with Param Vishisht Seva Medal in January 2022,^[19] Uttam Yudh Seva Medal for commanding the Fire & Fury Corps (Republic Day 2020), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (Republic Day 2016), the Vir Chakra (Independence Day 1999) for his part in the Operation Vijay and the Sena Medal.^{[20][18][21][22]}

Gen Joshi has been portrayed twice in films, first by actor Sanjay Dutt in LOC: Kargil (2003) and second by actor Shataf Figar in Shershaah (2021).^[31]

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