Major General (Retd) Lachhman Singh Lehl, who commanded the 20 Mountain Division of the Army that exhibited massive courage and valour during the 1971 Indo-Pak war, has died aged 97 in Delhi, officials said on Saturday.
Major General (Retd) Lehl had assumed command of the 20 Mountain Division on November 13, 1970, a senior official said.
"The famous battles of "Hilli" and "Bogra" were fought in 1971 operations, which were decisive battles in the Eastern Theatre," the official said.
The Instrument of Surrender taken by the officer against Pakistan's 16 Infantry Division speaks of the valour of the 20 Mountain Division on the eastern front under his command, officials said.
Major General (Retd) Lehl was the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the division for two-and-a-half years, they said.
On March 14, 1974, he was moved to New Delhi as the Deputy Quarter Master General from where retired on July 31, 1978.
He was born in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district and was enrolled in the Indian Military Academy (IMA) as a temporary commission officer and was commissioned in 1 Field Regiment on July 11, 1943.
Major General (Retd) Lehl also commanded 3 Field Regiment, 301 Infantry Brigade and 20 Infantry Division, the officials said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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