Vijay Lall

Lall was born to a proletarian family, with his father being a practicing advocate & tax consultant and his mother a gynaecologist, obstetrician & family physician.

He did his schooling from the Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi.[2][3] He joined the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Pune (NDA) in 1958 followed by the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun (IMA); graduating in June 1962.

In addition, Lall is an alumnus of various defence and civil training institutions namely the College of Materials Management (CMM), Jabalpur; College of Defence Management (CDM), Secunderabad; Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), New Delhi and Army War College (AWC), Mhow.

Lall was commissioned in the Army Ordnance Corps on 10 June 1962. He completed his infantry attachment with Third-First Gorkha Rifles (PVC Battalion) where he was a Platoon Commander in the Bravo company. During his career, he held various command, staff and instructional appointments. He was fortunate to command units after attaining the rank of Captain up to Lt General. During his illustrious career, he also had the privilege to command an independent foreign army unit in Nigeria, during the years 1979 to 1981.

He is a specialist in ammunition and explosives technology and holds a master's degree in Materials Management. He was Member Army, of a high-level empowered committee viz. Special Surplus Stores Disposal Committee, Ministry of Defence, Government of India.(Ex-Officio-Joint-Secretary)

During his tenure as MGAOC (Southern Command), Lall was at forefront of relief operations and aid to civil authority during the Latur earthquake tragedy in Maharashtra.

He has extensively contributed in all the theatres: Sino-Indian War of 1962, Indo-Pakistan War of 1965, Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 (Bangladesh Liberation War) and Indo-Pakistan War of 1999 (Kargil War).

He was awarded by the Honourable President of India twice for distinguished services[4] and Commendation by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) during his career.

Lall has received the following medals, decorations and commendations in his military career:

• Param Vishisht Seva Medal[5] for distinguished services of the most exceptional order to the nation.
• Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished services of an exceptional order to the nation.
• Chief of Army Staff Commendation

Besides these, he was appointed Honorary Aide-de-Camp to the Honourable President of India.

Lall was responsible for securing the coveted Golden Peacock National Training Award in the year 2000 for the College of Materials Management(CMM), Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh[6][7] He received the award by the then Honourable Home Minister and Dy. Prime Minister of India.

Lt General Vijay Lall, AVSM receiving the Golden Peacock Training Award 2000 from Shri L K Advani, Honourable Home Minister and Dy. Prime Minister of India

Some of the other positions held by him were:

Professor, Dean of Management and Member; Executive Council, Rani Durgavati Vishwavidyalaya, RDVV (Formerly, University of Jabalpur) Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh

President, Dehuroad Cantonment Board, Pune District, Maharashtra

After relinquishing his uniform, Lt General Lall was on the Board of Directors of Indraprastha Medical Corporation Limited (Apollo Hospitals Group)[8] for over a decade.

Besides, he is also a:

• Fellow, All India Management Association
• Distinguished Fellow, Institute of Directors
• Distinguished Fellow, Indian Institute of Materials Management[9]
• Member, Manohar Parrikar - Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses[10]
• Member, United Services Institute of India

Lall is married to Dr Veena Lall who is a practicing gynaecologist, obstetrician & family physician. She superannuated as Chief Medical Officer - RFWMO, from the Directorate General of Armed Forces Medical Services, Ministry of Defence. The couple have two sons - Adosh; a practicing periodontist, implantologist and dental surgeon and Shivam; a Manager - Projects with an Australian University's South Asia Office. Lall's younger brother is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officer.