Satinder Kumar Saini
Lieutenant General Satinder Kumar Saini, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, VSM, ADC, is a retired Indian Army officer who served as the 41st Vice Chief of the Army Staff from January 25, 2020 to January 31, 2021. Before that, he was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Command from October 1, 2018 to January 24, 2020.
He hails from Hoshiarpur, Punjab. He studied at Sainik School Kapurthala, the National Defence Academy, Pune, and the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun. He also attended the Staff College Camberley, the Royal Military College of Science in Shrivenham, and the National Defence College in Dhaka, earning three degrees in defence and strategic studies.
Saini was commissioned into the 7th Jat Regiment in June 1981. His commands included 7 Jat, a Mountain Brigade in Kashmir, Kilo Force (part of Rashtriya Rifles), and IX Corps. He also served as Colonel of the Jat Regiment. His staff roles included Brigade Major, General Staff Officer Operations of an infantry division, Brigadier General Staff of a Corps, Director of Military Operations at Army Headquarters, and Director General of Manpower Planning and Personnel Services. He was the Commandant of the Indian Military Academy and taught at the National Defence College as Senior Directing Staff. He also served as Weapons Instructor at the National Security Guards Training Centre.
Saini held international assignments, including Deputy Chief Military Personnel Officer in the Iraq-Kuwait UN Mission, a peacekeeping exercise in Mongolia, and a counter-terrorism exercise in Australia.
His awards include Param Vishisht Seva Medal (2020), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (2018), Yudh Seva Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, and commendations from the Chief of Army Staff and the Army Commander.
He served in the Indian Army from 1981 to 2021.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 04:04 (CET).