Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar serves as the Western Army Commander in the Indian Army. He became the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) for the Indian Army’s Western Command in July 2023. |
Katiyar completed three years of training at the National Defence Academy in Pune, Maharashtra, before joining the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, Uttarakhand in 1985. |
In June 1986, Katiyar finished his military training and received his commission as a second lieutenant in the 23rd battalion of the Rajput regiment. |
He attended the Young Officer’s (YOs) course at the Army War College in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh. |
Upon becoming a major, Katiyar was appointed as a company commander in his battalion. |
As a colonel, he led his battalion in operations in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, and Taksing, Arunachal Pradesh. |
Katiyar then served as an instructor at the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in Wellington. |
Following his promotion to brigadier, Katiyar took charge of a Kashmir-centered Infantry Brigade. |
He later served as an instructor with the Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT) in Bhutan. |
Katiyar has held the position of Brigadier General Staff (BGS) at the headquarters of both 3 Corps and Central Command. |
After being promoted to major general, he worked at the Army Headquarters in New Delhi in the Military Operations Directorate. |
On 5th April 2021, Katiyar became the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the prestigious 1 Corps, also known as the Strike Corps, succeeding Lt Gen Codanda Poovaiah Cariappa. |
On 1st July 2023, Manoj Kumar Katiyar assumed the role of General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Western Command in Haryana, taking over from Lt Gen Nav Kumar Khanduri. |