Indian Army Bids Farewell to Former Army Chief Gen VN Sharma with Full Military Honours

New Delhi, August 1, 2026: The Indian Army today accorded a solemn farewell with full military honours to General Vishwa Nath Sharma (Retired), PVSM, AVSM, ADC, former Chief of the Army Staff, at Brar Square Crematorium in New Delhi. The distinguished soldier passed away on Friday morning in the national capital at the age of 97.

Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth laid a wreath on behalf of all ranks of the Indian Army and conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. Also present to pay respects was General VK Singh (Retired), Governor of Mizoram and a former Chief of the Army Staff, who laid a wreath. The funeral was attended by the former Chief of Defence Staff, several former Army Chiefs, the Chief of the Air Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff, serving and retired senior officers, veterans and family members.

Born in London on 4 June 1930, General Sharma was the younger brother of Major Somnath Sharma, India’s first Param Vir Chakra recipient, and of Lieutenant General Surendra Nath Sharma, a former Engineer-in-Chief of the Indian Army.

He joined the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, in the 5th Regular Course and was commissioned into 16 Light Cavalry on 4 June 1950. He later joined 66 Armoured Regiment as Second-in-Command when it was raised on 1 September 1966 and assumed command of the regiment in June 1968, serving as its second Commandant until February 1970.

During his career, he held key staff appointments including Colonel General Staff of an Armoured Division, Brigadier General Staff of a Corps, Director General of Military Operations at Army Headquarters, and Commandant of the College of Combat (now Army War College) at Mhow. He commanded a Mountain Brigade in Mizoram, an Armoured Brigade in Jaipur, a Mountain Division in Sikkim, a Corps in Mizoram, and Eastern Command in Kolkata before taking over as Chief of the Army Staff from 30 April 1988 to 30 June 1990. He received several distinguished awards during his service.

After retirement, General Sharma continued a family tradition of public service. For four decades he ran a free tuberculosis clinic in Himachal Pradesh, travelling by ambulance to remote villages and often trekking to high-altitude settlements with his medical team to provide healthcare to those with limited access. His commitment inspired later generations of his family to pursue public service.

General Sharma’s life of distinguished military service, courage and dedication to the nation will continue to inspire generations of soldiers.