Arjun Ray

Arjun Ray is an Indian businessman and former army general. He is chief executive officer of the Indus Trust.

Ray is a graduate of the Staff College at Camberley, England—the Higher Command Course and the National Defence College. He has served as India's deputy military advisor in London.

Lt General Arjun Ray of the 14 Corps in Ladakh credited himself with "scripting" Sadbhavna and redefining the role of armed forces in the new century.^[1] As part of Operation Sadbhavana (Goodwill), he set up 13 Sadhbhavana schools, 11 Women's Empowerment Centres, and 60 Adult Education Centres for non-literate women along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

He was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service.

Early life

Arjun Ray was born 1 January 1944 in Calcutta. He completed his schooling at St Xavier School, Jaipur, and graduated from the University of Rajasthan with a degree in humanities. Before joining the Indian Military Academy in 1963, he was sponsored by Rotary International to visit New Zealand and Australia for three months, as a member of the Indian universities' debating team.

Army

Ray was commissioned into the 8th Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment in February 1964. Thereafter, he participated in the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistan Wars. As a young major, he was selected to attend the Scientific Reorientation Course at Shrivenham, England; and the Staff College at Camberley ). He holds a master's degree in Defence Studies from the University of Madras, and he has attended the Higher Command Course and the National Defence Course at the National Defence College, New Delhi.

Before commanding a mechanized brigade on the Western front, he was posted in London as the Deputy Military Advisor from 1986 to 1989. During this tenure, as a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Royal United Services Institution, he was a participant in national and international seminars and symposiums on international security.

Ray’s command assignments varied: from armored formations – 13 Mechanized Infantry, 39 Mechanized Brigade and 33 Armored Division, to commanding 14 Corps in high altitude in Ladakh. For distinguished command of the brigade, he was awarded the Vishist Sewa Medal.

After attending the National Defence College, he served as the Brigadier General Staff in 15 Corps in the Kashmir Valley. It was during this period that he wrote his first book, Kashmir Diary, The Psychology of Militancy. As a major general, he was also responsible for tactical training of company and squadron commanders in junior command at the College of Combat.

After commanding 33 Armored Division (October 1996 to March 1998), he was posted as Major General with the General Staff in charge of doctrine in Headquarters Army Training Command (ARTRAC). During this period (March 1998 to June 2000), he organized and conducted army, national and international-level seminars on war and conflict, including strategies and structures for higher defence organization.

During the Kargil War (June to August 1999), Ray was responsible for conducting the information campaign, including media relations, on behalf of the Army.

On 12 June 2000, Ray was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and was given command of the newly raised 14 Corps in Ladakh. Its troops were deployed at the Line of Control opposite Pakistan and the Line of Actual Control in Western Tibet.

Operation Sadhbhavana

Soon after taking over the Corps, Ray decided on winning over alienated communities, and thus forestall insurgency from spilling over into Ladakh from the rest of Jammu and Kashmir. He saw that security and development were key elements of border management. He selected as his centre of gravity the people of Ladakh. Towards this end he launched Operation Sadbhavna (Goodwill), a mass campaign to win the hearts of the local population. These areas included primary education, health care up to tertiary level, women’s empowerment, community development and information technology for peace. For his contribution to nation building and command of troops in Ladakh, he was honoured with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, the highest award in the military for distinguished service. He was also India's entry in 2002 - 2003 for the Commonwealth Award on Women's Empowerment.

Retirement

Ray is the CEO of the Indus Group of international schools.

References

Further reading

• Senge H. Sering,

“Reclaiming Nubra” – Locals Shunning Pakistani Influences, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, Delhi, 17 August 2009.