Former Army Chief General Vishwanath Sharma passes away

• Former Chief of Army Staff General Vishwanath Sharma passed away in New Delhi on July 31, 2026.

• He was the 14th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army and held the position from May 1, 1988, to June 30, 1990.

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the current Chief of Army Staff General Dheeraj Seth, and numerous other military officials expressed deep grief over his passing. 

• His last rites were scheduled to be held at Brar Square in Delhi Cantonment at 10:30 AM on August 1, 2026.

• General Vishwanath Sharma's military career spanned a crucial period in the evolution and leadership of the Indian Army. He was commissioned into the 16th Light Cavalry in June 1950.

• He was the first commissioned officer of independent India to begin his military career in the post-independence era and rise to the highest position in the Indian Army—that of Chief of Army Staff.

• This achievement stands as a testament to his outstanding leadership, strategic acumen, and decades of dedicated service.

• Throughout his long military career, General Sharma held various key command and staff appointments within the Army before being appointed as its professional head.

• The position of Chief of Army Staff is considered one of the most critical military roles in the nation's defence structure, and General Vishwanath Sharma discharged this responsibility effectively during his tenure.