Devendra Pratap Pandey

Lieutenant General Devendra Pratap Pandey (born 17 June 1964) PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM is an Indian Army general serving as the current Commandant of the Army War College, Mhow, prior to his appointment he was the General-Officer-Commanding of the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps.

He took over from Lieutenant General B. S. Raju after the latter completed his term as the Corps Commander.

Prior to his appointment as the Chinar Corps Commander, the general served as the Director General of Territorial Army of the Indian Army.

Pandey was born in a Bhumihar Brahmin family and hails from Gorakhpur and is an alumnus of St Mary's Carmel, Kendriya Vidyalaya Airforce Station, Gorakhpur, Kendriya Vidyalaya, IIT New Delhi and National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla Pune and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.

He also holds a master's degree in defence studies from University of Madras, Chennai and an M.Phil. in defence and management studies from Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore.

Pandey has attended the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and the National Defense University in Washington, D.C.

Pandey was commissioned into 9th battalion The Sikh Light Infantry on 14 Dec 1985.

He has served in Counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Qualified in high altitude warfare courses, he has commanded the 9th battalion The Sikh Light Infantry in north Siachen glacier and chushul sector of Eastern Ladakh.

He also commanded a RR Sector.

He also served as a military observer in Cambodia.

Pandey has held numerous staff assignments which include a tenure as Brigade major of an infantry brigade in high-altitude area during operation Vijay (Kargil) and as a director in Infantry Directorate and also Director, Foreign Division in MI Directorate, IHQ of MoD (Army), BGS (Ops) at HQ Western Command, Chandimandir and BGS at Chetak Corps.

In addition, he served as an assistant adjutant and instructor at the National Defence Academy, Pune.

General officer has an extensive service experience along western borders, deserts of Rajasthan and Punjab.

Promoted to the rank of Major general, Pandey was appointed General officer commanding [[Rashtriya Rifles

On 17 March 2021, Pandey was appointed the General officer commanding XV Corps in Srinagar.

XV Corps, also known as Chinar Corps, is responsible for military operations in the Kashmir valley.

Pandey was appointed as the Commandant of the Army War College, Mhow in April 2022 and took over on 9 May 2022.

Pandey insisted Kashmiris to continue to strive hard to maintain peace and prosperity in J&K despite the presence of evil minds that enforce violence on Kashmiri society.

The society need to break the cycle of violence.

He called upon the Kashmiri society to target OGW network that pollutes the impressionable minds of the youth to sustain terrorism in J&K.

He asked community leaders to caution the youth about these instigators & their evil plans that is putting J&K on troubled paths.

There are also present some vulture journalists who misguide the youths.

We all need to be aware of their mal-intentions.

With the challenge for security forces in the Kashmir valley in the form of hybrid terrorism, Lt Gen D P Pandey cautioned the Kashmiri society to be more vigilant of these ‘part-time’ terrorists.

They influence & corrupt the youths’ ideology.

He reiterated to continue efforts to recognize such people in the valley.

Young people thought process should be towards peace and development.

UT Administration through the Security Review Meeting forums and engaging secretary level functionaries along with grass-root public participation ushered in ‘Tiranga Revolution’.

The Tricolor was dedicated to the people of J&K by Shri Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble Lt Governor of J&K in the presence of GOC 15 Corps.

Apart from this, Tricolor was hoisted at Kupwara, Awantipur, Shopian, Gulmarg and various Government offices and school giving a sense of ‘One Nation One Flag’.

Lt Gen D P Pandey endeavoured to reinforce the pride amongst the people of Kashmir in their own cultural festivals by organizing functions for Wular festival, Bangus mela, Doodpathri festival, Keran mela and many others.

In co-operation with Jaipur-based NGO, Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS), Artificial Limb fitment and assistance camps were organised for especially abled persons in 15 Corps Zone from 06 to 19 Oct 21.

The joint venture between the Indian Army and Jaipur Foot Foundation was themed ‘Saksham Hum, Saksham Kashmir, Saksham Bharat’.

Lt Gen DP Pandey complimented the NGO, Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayata Samiti for its noble efforts.

He emphasised that the artificial limbs would further invigorate the specially abled citizens to lead an enabled and empowered life.

The camp has enabled and empowered specially abled Kashmiri citizens including children.

To combat the surge of COVID-19 cases in Apr 2021 in Kashmir and to prepare of the anticipated third wave of COVID-19, a 50-bed COVID-19 facility was established and dedicated to the citizens of Kashmir.

It will augment the infrastructure against the pandemic.

A non-operational oxygen plant (Enn Dee Gases) with a capacity of filling 700 cylinders of oxygen per day, located at Rangreth was resuscitated by Chinar Corps.