Lieutenant General Arun Kumar Sahni is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and Indian Military Academy. On commissioning he was awarded the ‘Sword of Honour’ for being the best all-round Gentleman Cadet and the President’s Gold Medal for standing first in his course. He was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery. He is qualified on the prestigious courses such as the Long Gunnery Staff Course, Defence Services Staff College, Higher Command, and the National Defence College. His career highlights include command of a Self Propelled Regiment in the desert sector, a Mountain Artillery Brigade in Counter Insurgency Sector in Northeast, an Independent Infantry Brigade in Jammu Kashmir and a Division as part of a Strike Corps, on the western borders. He commanded a Corps in the Northeast. He has held important staff appointments including Brigade Major of an Infantry Brigade in Sri Lanka, and Colonel General Staff of a Counter Insurgency Force in Jammu and Kashmir. As Additional Director General Military Operations in the Army Headquarters, he was responsible for force structuring and operational preparedness of the army. He was promoted as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of South Western Command on January 1, 2014 and retired from service in January 2016. He is recipient of PVSM, UYSM, SM and VSM awards. He is also recipient of Chief of Army Staff Commendation Cards on two occasions.