Major General Abhijit S Pendharkar, YSM and GOC of 28 Infantry Division has been awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) during the Republic Day programme, on Thursday. Maj Gen Pendharkar will take over his new responsibility at Army Head Quarters in New Delhi on February 3. The officer hails from Nagpur, and is elder son of Wg Cdr (Retd) Surendra Pendharkar and noted dietician Dr Jaishree Pendharkar. His younger brother is Satyajeet. The General Officer’s sister Vijeeta is wife of acclaimed cricketer Rahul Dravid, who is Head Coach of the Indian cricket team. Maj Gen Abhijit S Pendharkar was commissioned on June 9, 1990 from the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun into 6th Battalion, the Assam Regiment.

 

An alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, the General Officer has attended all important career courses including Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Higher Command Course, and National Defence College. He has an MSc in Strategic Studies, and Master of Philosophy to his credit. The General Officer has vast operational experience having served in intense Counter Insurgency/Counter Terrorist operations in North East, and Jammu and Kashmir. For his distinguished service, Maj Gen A S Pendharkar has been awarded GOC-in-C Central Command Commendation Card in 2002, COAS Commendation Card in 2007, and Yudh Seva Medal in 2018 while commanding a challenging brigade on the Line of Control.