Manoj Kumar Katiyar

• Western Command
• I Corps
• 6th Mountain Division

Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar PVSM UYSM AVSM
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Command
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 July 2023
Battles/wars	Operation Sindoor
Service number	IC-43725N [1]
Awards	Param Vishisht Seva Medal Uttam Yudh Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal

Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM is a serving general officer of the Indian Army. He currently serves as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Command. ^[2] He earlier served as the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) at IHQ of MoD (Army), ^[3] prior to that he was General Officer Commanding I Corps. ^[4] He is also the Colonel of the Rajput Regiment since 1 February 2022. ^[5]

Early life and education

The general officer is an alumnus of Sainik School, Ghorakhal. He then attended the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy. He has done all important courses to include Defence Services Staff Course, Wellington and National Defence College course. Besides, he is also a Distinguished graduate of National War College, USA. ^[6]

Military career

He was commissioned into the 23th battalion of the Rajput Regiment in June 1986 from the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. In a distinguished career spanning over 37 years he has served across vivid terrains and has undertaken many staff and instructional appointments. He has served in Siachen Glacier, along LC both in 15 & 16 Corps and along LAC in 3, 14 and 33 Corps. He commanded his battalion twice; in Uri Sect and at Taksing in Western RALP. He commanded an Infantry Brigade along Western Borders, Army HQ Res Mountain Division along Northern Borders. He has been an instructor in Indian Military Training Team in Bhutan and a Directing Staff at Defence Services Staff College. The general officers' staff appointments include a Grade 1 post in Military Operations Directorate, Brigadier General Staff appointments in HQ Corps and in HQ Central Command and Director General of Staff Duties at IHQ of MoD (Army), New Delhi.

On 5 April 2021, he took over as the General Officer Commanding I Corps from Lieutenant General C. P. Cariappa. After completing his term as I Corps Commander, on 11 May 2022 he assumed the appointment as the Director General of Military Operations. ^[7]

On 1 July 2023, Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar took over as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Command succeeding Lieutenant General Nav K Khanduri when the latter superannuated from service on 30 June 2023. ^[8]

Personal life

He is married to Mrs Shuchi Katiyar, a homemaker, and the couple is blessed with two sons; Achintya Katiyar is working in an IT Company in Bangalore and Kushagra Katiyar is pursuing graduation. ^[6]

Awards and decorations

The General officer has been awarded with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal on Republic Day 2025, ^[9] the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal on Independence Day 2025 ^[10] and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2021. ^[11]

Param Vishisht Seva Medal	Uttam Yudh Seva Medal		Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Samanya Seva Medal	Special Service Medal	Siachen Glacier Medal	Operation Parakram Medal
Sainya Seva Medal	High Altitude Medal	Videsh Seva Medal	75th Independence Anniversary Medal
50th Independence Anniversary 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	14 June 1986 [12]
	Lieutenant	Indian Army	14 June 1988 [13]
	Captain	Indian Army	14 June 1991 [14]
	Major	Indian Army	14 June 1997 [15]
	Lieutenant Colonel	Indian Army	16 December 2004 [16]
	Colonel	Indian Army	1 May 2007 [17]
	Brigadier	Indian Army	14 December 2012 (acting) 1 April 2013 (substantive, with seniority from 11 June 2011) [18]
	Major General	Indian Army	1 October 2018 (seniority from 1 February 2017) [19]
	Lieutenant General	Indian Army	1 January 2021 [20]

References

1. https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/PIB%20Delhi/FINAL%20AWARD%20RD%202021%20TO%20BE%20ANNOUNCED%20ON%2025%20JAN%202021.pdf
2. "Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar takes over as Western Command GOC-in-C". Hindustan Times . 2 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
3. "Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar to be Indian Army's new DGMO". India Today. 19 April 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
4. "Lt Gen Katiyar takes over as GOC 1 Corps". The Tribune. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
5. "Lt. Gen. CP Mohanty, VCOAS & the colonel of the RAJPUT REGIMENT, handed over the Baton of "Colonel of the Regiment" to Lt. Gen. MK Katiyar, GOC 1 Corps at New Delhi on 31 Jan, 2022". X (formerly twitter). 31 January 2022.
6. https://indianarmy.nic.in/leaders/leaders-site-main/army-commanders
7. "Lt. General Manoj Kumar Katiyar assumed the appointment of the Director General of Military Operations". www.spslandforces.com. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
8. "Lt Gen Katiyar new Western Army Command chief". The Times of India. 2 July 2023. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 29 June 2024.
9. "President approves Gallantry awards to 93 Armed Forces personnel, including 11 posthumous & 305 defence decorations on the eve of Republic Day 2025". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
10. "President approves 127 Gallantry awards, 40 Distinguished Service awards & 290 Mention-in-Despatches on the eve of 79th Independence Day". PIB Delhi. 14 August 2025.
11. "President Shri Ram Nath Kovind approves 455 Gallantry & other defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel on Republic Day". pib.gov.in. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
12. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 29 October 1988. p. 1586.
13. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 14 October 1989. p. 1551.
14. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 22 August 1992. p. 1441.
15. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 27 September 1997. p. 1476.
16. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 6 August 2005. p. 1355.
17. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 15 August 2009. p. 1386.
18. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 15 August 2015. p. 2137.
19. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 25 December 2021. p. 2962.
20. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 4 February 2023. p. 273.

Military offices
Preceded by Nav Kumar Khanduri	General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Command 1 July 2023–present	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by B. S. Raju	Director General Military Operations 1 May 2022 - 30 June 2023	Succeeded by Pratik Sharma
Preceded by C.P. Cariappa	General Officer Commanding I Corps 6 April 2021 – 30 April 2022	Succeeded by Gajendra Joshi