Mohinder Singh Wadalia

Lieutenant-General Mohinder Singh Wadalia (30 November 1908 – 20 May 2001) was an Indian Army general.^[2]

Lieutenant-General Mohinder Singh Wadalia
Born	(1908-11-30)30 November 1908[1]
Died	20 May 2001(2001-05-20) (aged 92) New Delhi, India
Allegiance	British India (1929–1947) India (1947–1965)
Branch	British Indian Army  Indian Army
Years of service	1929–1965
Rank	Lieutenant-General
Service number	AI-947
Unit	Hyderabad Regiment 16th Light Cavalry
Commands	Commandant of the Indian Military Academy
Battles / wars	World War II Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre Indo-Pakistan War of 1947
Awards	Mentioned in dispatches

Career

A King's Commissioned Indian Officer (KCIO), Wadalia was educated at Aitchison College and the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College, Dehra Dun.^[3] He subsequently attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the British Indian Army on 31 January 1929, passing out fifth in the order of merit from 37 successful cadets.^[4][5] He was formally appointed to the Indian Army as an officer with the 4/19 Hyderabad Regiment (now 4 Kumaon Regiment) on 13 April 1930.^[6] On 1 March 1934, he transferred to the 16th Light Cavalry and was appointed a squadron officer.^[7] He was appointed the adjutant on 1 January 1937.^[8]

During the Second World War, Wadalia was appointed a GSO 3 in the Directorate of Military Training on 27 June 1941, under Brigadier Francis Tuker.^[9] Advanced to a GSO 2 on 26 September and promoted temporary major in December,^[10] Wadalia was transferred to the Directorate of Armoured Fighting Vehicles on 26 May 1943.^[11] He served on the headquarters staff in the Persia-Iraq theatre and was mentioned in dispatches.^[3][12] On 13 August 1944, he was appointed a GSO 1 on the staff, with the acting rank of lieutenant-colonel.^[13] He was promoted substantive major (temporary lieutenant-colonel) on 31 January 1946.^[14] On 23 December 1949, he was promoted temporary brigadier and given command of a brigade.^[15]

On 21 June 1951, Wadalia was appointed an area commander with the local rank of major general.^[16] On 1 September, he was appointed Commandant of the National Defence Academy with the acting rank of major-general.^[17] He was the Deputy Chief of the Army Staff between 27 January 1959 and 15 November 1964.^[18]

Dates of rank

Insignia	Rank	Component	Date of rank
	Second Lieutenant	British Indian Army	31 January 1929
	Lieutenant	British Indian Army	30 April 1931[19]
	Captain	British Indian Army	31 January 1938[20]
	Major	British Indian Army	26 September 1941 (acting)[1] 26 December 1941 (temporary)[1] 31 January 1946 (substantive)[14]
	Lieutenant-Colonel	British Indian Army	13 August 1944 (acting)[1] 31 January 1946 (temporary)[14]
	Major	Indian Army	15 August 1947[note 1][21]
	Colonel	Indian Army
	Brigadier	Indian Army	1948 (acting) 23 December 1949 (temporary)[15][note 1]
	Lieutenant-Colonel	Indian Army	26 January 1950 (recommissioning and change in insignia)[21]
	Brigadier	Indian Army	31 January 1950 (substantive)[22]
	Major General	Indian Army	21 June 1951 (local)[16] 1 September 1951 (acting)[17]
	Lieutenant-General	Indian Army

Notes

1. Upon independence in 1947, India became a Dominion within the British Commonwealth of Nations. As a result, the rank insignia of the British Army, incorporating the Tudor Crown and four-pointed Bath Star ("pip"), was retained, as George VI remained Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces. After 26 January 1950, when India became a republic, the President of India became Commander-in-Chief, and the Ashoka Lion replaced the crown, with a five-pointed star being substituted for the "pip."