Indian Army commemorates Late General SF Rodrigues with Inaugural Memorial Lecture

The Indian Army paid tribute to the late General Sunith Francis Rodrigues, former Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) and Governor of Punjab, by organizing the inaugural “General SF Rodrigues Memorial Lecture” at the Manekshaw Centre. This event coincided with what would have been General Rodrigues’ 90th birthday.

The lecture, attended by General Manoj Pande, the Chief of the Army Staff, and other senior serving and veteran officers, began with reflections on the former COAS’s legacy. Lieutenant General Raj Shukla (Retired), former General Officer Commanding in Chief, Army Training Command (ARTRAC), delivered a lecture on the “Changing Character of War and Firepower.”

General SF Rodrigues, born in 1933 in Mumbai and an alumnus of St. Xavier’s School, had a distinguished military career. He joined the Joint Services Wing in 1949 and was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery in 1952. He served in various Field and Self-Propelled Artillery units, becoming an Artillery Aviation Pilot in 1960 and actively participating in the 1962 and 1965 wars. He later held key appointments, including Vice Chief of the Army Staff, General Officer Commanding in Chief of Central and Western Commands, and eventually served as the COAS from July 1, 1990, to June 30, 1993.

General Manoj Pande, in his address, highlighted the significant initiatives undertaken by General Rodrigues during his tenure as COAS. He noted that it was under General Rodrigues’ leadership that the Indian Army began inducting Women Officers in streams other than the Medical Corps in 1992. Today, there are over 1700 Women Officers in the army, with 740 granted Permanent Commission and 114 approved for command assignments. The COAS also mentioned the growth of Women Officers in the Corps of Military Police.

Additionally, General Pande recalled General Rodrigues’ contributions to expanding the Indian Army’s presence in United Nations missions. Under his leadership, the number of Indian Army personnel in UN missions increased substantially, with approximately 6000 “Blue Helmets” currently deployed across 11 missions.

General Rodrigues was renowned for his exemplary military leadership, strategic thinking, and dedication to military ethics and values. He played a pivotal role in accelerating the modernization plan of the Indian Army. The “General SF Rodrigues Memorial Lecture” served as a fitting tribute to honor his significant contributions to the Indian Army and the nation.