Alok Singh Kler

Lieutenant General Alok Singh Kler, PVSM, VSM is a serving General Officer in the Indian Army. He currently serves as the 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]

Lieutenant General A S Kler PVSM, VSM
Allegiance	India
Service/branch	Indian Army
Years of service	June 1982 - present
Rank	Lieutenant General
Service number	IC-40293Y[1]
Unit	68th Armoured Regiment
Commands held	South Western Army II Corps
Awards	Param Vishisht Seva Medal Vishisht Seva Medal

Early life and education

Alok was born into the Kler military family which originated in 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.

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

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 October 25.[16] He had earlier, as the DGMT, carried out a para jump Nasik by service aircraft from 10,000-12,000 feet.[11]

Military Awards and Decorations

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

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[17]
	Major	Indian Army	12 June 1993[18]
	Lieutenant-Colonel	Indian Army	16 December 2004[19]
	Colonel	Indian Army	1 March 2006[20]
	Brigadier	Indian Army	1 January 2010 (substantive, with seniority from 7 January 2009)[21]
	Major General	Indian Army	12 December 2014 (substantive, with seniority from 3 June 2012)[22]
	Lieutenant-General	Indian Army	20 May 2017 (with seniority from 1 May 2017)[23]

References

1. "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.
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. "General to cycle from Delhi to Jaipur to take up new appointment". Hindustan Times. 30 August 2019.
8. Sep 2, TNN | Updated. "Kler is new chief of Sapta Shakti Command | Jaipur News - Times of India". The Times of India.
9. "Our Star Cast 2017 | Khushwant Singh Literary Festival". kslitfest.com.
10. "Our Star Cast 2017 | Khushwant Singh Literary Festival". kslitfest.com.
11. "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.
16. "South-Western Army Commander Lt Gen Kler carries out para jump". www.aninews.in.
17. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 25 August 1990. p. 1362.
18. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 18 September 1993. p. 1658.
19. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 15 October 2005. p. 18.
20. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 21 April 2007. p. 634.
21. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 16 February 2013. p. 272.
22. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 21 May 2016. p. 1308.
23. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 9 February 2019. p. 393.