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Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM & Bar is a retired General of the Indian Army currently serving as 30th Governor of Bihar since 2026. His last assignment in service was as the Military Secretary of the Indian Army. Prior to that, he commanded the Indian Army’s 15 Corps in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, amongst other appointments.[2] He has also commanded 21 Corps (Strike). In 2018, General Hasnain was appointed Chancellor of Central University of Kashmir.[3]
Syed Ata Hasnain is the second son of Major General Syed Mahdi Hasnain, PVSM. He completed his school education at Sherwood College, Nainital. Thereafter he attended Delhi University, where he received a B.A. (Honours) degree in History, in 1972. General Hasnain is an alumnus of the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS), Hawaii, USA and the Royal College of Defence Studies, London.[4] He also studied at King’s College, University of London.[5]
Syed Ata Hasnain was commissioned into the 4th Battalion, Garhwal Rifles, from the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, on 16 June 1974.[1] It is a unit raised by his father. He eventually commanded the same battalion. He participated in Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka during 1988-90, and took part in counter insurgency operations in Punjab in 1990-91.[6] During the 1990s, the then Colonel Hasnain served with the United Nations in Mozambique, and later, war torn Rwanda. He attended the Higher Command Course at Army War College, Mhow, and thereafter served as Colonel General Staff at the HQ Victor Force at Avantipura South Kashmir, at the height of the militancy. As a Brigadier, he served in J&K as Commander, 12 Infantry Brigade, on the Line of Control, at Uri.[7]
He later commanded 19 Infantry Division in Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir, as a Major General, serving under the overall direction of XV Corps. As a Lieutenant General, Hasnain has been posted as General Officer Commanding (GOC), XXI Corps, in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. In October, 2010, it was announced that he will be returning to XV Corps in Kashmir, as the GOC of that formation.[8] As GOC of XV Corps, he has held several meetings to redress grievances and concerns of commons citizens, and to bring the Army closer to them[9] He conceived and operationalised the “Hearts Doctrine” which focused on people as the centre of gravity in Kashmir. His contribution towards improving the security scenario in Kashmir was the balance he brought between the employment of hard power in counter infiltration and counter terrorist operations and military soft power. Gen. Hasnain played a pivotal role in starting the Kashmir Premier League (KPL) in 2011, to build bridges between Kashmiris and Indian Army men.[10] Throughout his tenure he applied an intellectual approach towards conflict and even guided the State Government in its approach as its Security Adviser. On 9 June 2012, Lt Gen Hasnain took office as the Military Secretary, at Army Headquarters, New Delhi.[11] His unique and innovative approach defined as “Playing Friend Not God” has been widely appreciated as the new HR management mantra across domains in and outside the military.
On 7 Sep 2013, Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain was awarded his first civilian honor by the Capital Foundation Society of Delhi. He received the award from the Vice President of India, Mohammad Hamid Ansari. The award was for Military leadership of an exceptional order. On 9 Sep 2013, the General Officer spoke at the Global Town Hall organized by the US based Ali Soufan Group and Qatar International Academy for Security Studies. This event was simultaneously held at New York, Singapore, Dakkar and Belfast. Lt Gen Hasnain spoke at Singapore on the subject ‘ Applying Counter Narratives in Conflict Stabilisation : The Heart is My Weapon Doctrine in Kashmir’s Conflict Zone’.
Ever since his superannuation on 30 June 2013, General Hasnain has actively pursued intellectual activities and promoted the cause and perception of the Indian Army. He is a prolific member of Track 2 diplomacy with Pakistan bringing his vast experience of J&K to the meetings.[citation needed] He is a Visiting Fellow of the Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi and Senior Fellow with Delhi Policy Group, two of the most prominent think tanks of New Delhi besides being on the Governing Council of Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies.[citation needed] He writes for The Times of India , The Indian Express, The New Indian Express, The Asian Age, Brighter Kashmir and The Tribune on various strategic issues.[citation needed] He lectures at the National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie and National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics (NACEN), Faridabad, besides the College of Air Warfare, Army War College, Mhow, Defence Services Staff College and various institutions under the All India Management Association and Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS).[citation needed] He has recently lectured at United Service Institution (USI) and Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA).[citation needed]
Gen Hasnain introduced the Scholar Warrior concept to the Indian Army,[12] and after superannuation has extensively promoted the necessity of incorporating military intellectualism and strategic culture in India.[citation needed] In this regard he is a popular speaker at corporate events.[citation needed] Among the companies that he has addressed include Deloitte, Deutsche Bank, Ashok Leyland, Larsen & Toubro (Design), Amdocs Pune, Atoc, Sanofi Pasteur, SBI, KPMG, Amit Rathi, Mindtree and Knight Frank India.[citation needed] His talks have been greatly appreciated because of the passion, patriotic fervor and linkages that he establishes between national security, the common citizen and the corporate world.[citation needed] He has spoken at nine chapters of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and the Chennai chapter of the Entrepreneur Organisation of India, each on a different subject.[citation needed] He spoke at the Regional Meeting of the Owner’s Forum in Mar 2017 and DEc 2018; a reputed international corporate club of families who own business houses.[citation needed] A signature event was his talk to the visiting members of YPO Coastal California, on India-US relations.[citation needed] Gen Hasnain’s attraction as a speaker of international repute is his long experience in turbulent zones and ability to handle touchy issues with ease.[citation needed] His vast knowledge of history, politics and international relations allows him to address and explain issues which would need days of individual study to understand and comprehend.[citation needed]
On 21 February 2020 he was appointed Member of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) [13] In that appointment, he is currently also a member of the Empowered Committee for Information & Communication set up by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).[citation needed]
Brig Prahlad Singh All India Chairman of United Front Shanja Morcha Chandigarh and UFESM Welfare Society Pathankot being facilitated by Army Cdr Western Command during Investiture Ceremony held at Mamun on 26 Feb 26
Squadron Leader Anuj Vashisht of Gurugram was among the two IAF pilots who died when a Sukhoi‑30MKI jet crashed near Chokihola in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district.
The IAF, in a post on Friday morning, said Squadron Leader Vashisht and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar sustained fatal injuries in the crash. The jet was on a training sortie and disappeared from radar shortly after taking off from Jorhat airbase on Thursday.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he “is deeply saddened” by the deaths of the IAF pilots. “Their courage and service to the nation will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” he said in a post on social media.
The IAF operates around 260 Sukhoi‑30MKI jets, which played a major role in Operation Sindoor, including the delivery of the air‑launched version of the BrahMos missile on Pakistan’s air bases on May 10.
There have been 13 accidents involving Sukhoi-30K jets between 2009 and 2026, and five pilots, including the two who died today, lost their lives.
A massive upgrade has been planned for the jets, including modern avionics, a latest‑generation radar, better engines and a 78 per cent indigenous content. India aims to increase local components in the upgraded aircraft to boost domestic manufacturing and reduce dependency on foreign suppliers. The IAF is awaiting a final nod for upgrading of the fleet.
In February last year, Russia offered the engine that powers its latest stealth fighter jet, the Sukhoi‑57, for the upgrade programme of the existing Sukhoi‑30MKI fleet. The Sukhoi‑30MKI is currently powered by the AL‑31 engine, which is less powerful than the AL‑41 used in the Sukhoi‑57. Russia’s proposal includes replacing the existing engines with the more advanced AL‑41.
The HAL, which holds the licence to produce the Sukhoi‑30MKI in India, is set to sign the work‑share contract for the upgrade.
The twin‑engine multirole aircraft forms the backbone of the IAF’s fighter fleet. In 2024, the Ministry of Defence placed an order worth Rs 13,500 crore with the HAL to produce 12 more Sukhoi jets along with associated equipment, replacing those lost in attrition over the years.
A CBI court on Friday granted bail to four Punjab Police officials accused in the alleged assault on Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath in Patiala.
The accused (Sub-Inspector Ronnie Singh, Harry Boparai, Harjinder Singh Dhillon and Jai Singh) have been directed to furnish bail bonds of Rs 1 lakh each with one surety of the same amount.
The prosecution has invoked charges of grievous hurt and wrongful restraint, among others, against the four police officials. The attempt-to-murder charge was dropped in the chargesheet.
The court directed the accused to remain present on every date of hearing unless exempted for valid reasons. Any exemption application must be duly signed or endorsed by their immediate senior officer, the Senior Superintendent of Police of the district where the accused is posted. The court also observed that more than two consecutive exemption applications during the trial would not be permitted unless found justified.
The alleged incident took place on the intervening night of March 13 and 14, when Colonel Bath and his son were at a roadside eatery near Rajindra Hospital in Patiala.
Balancing motherhood, military duty and competitive athletics is no easy feat, but for Indian Air Force Squadron Leader Neha Devi from Jammu, it has become a way of life.
Neha Devi’s journey reflects discipline, determination and belief beyond limits. She joined the Air Force Academy in July 2013 nearly 10 kilograms overweight. Within a year, she transformed herself and was commissioned in June 2014 — fitter, stronger and sharper.
Defence spokesperson Lt Col Suneel Bartwal said that by 2017, structured running and strength training had become part of her routine. In 2021, she ran her first half marathon in Delhi and secured third position in her age category, continuing to feature among the top finishers in the years that followed.
In 2023, she finished sixth overall in the Station Cross Country (10 km) and third overall in the Station Unity Run (21 km), being the only female participant in both events.
Bartwal said, “In January 2024, she became pregnant. What motivated her deeply was the realisation that many women hesitate to strength train or exercise during pregnancy due to fear or social conditioning. She wanted to change that narrative. Under medical supervision, she continued controlled workouts. At four months pregnant, she secured second position in the TCS 10K (virtual). In September 2024, she delivered a healthy baby girl via C-section.”
“Recovery was slow and painful — walk to jog, jog to run. But her mission was clear: motherhood should not limit a woman’s potential. While breastfeeding her daughter, exclusively for six months and continuing thereafter, she made it a daily commitment to dedicate 40-60 minutes to gym sessions or home workouts. Balancing night feeds, official duties and recovery, she rebuilt herself patiently,” Bartwal said.
On January 24 this year, during a 24-hour stadium run in New Delhi, she completed her first 100-km run in 9 hours 52 minutes, missing national qualification by just 22 minutes.
Within days, she competed in the Indian Navy Half Marathon, finishing first among the three services and fourth overall in the Women’s Open category with a time of 1 hour 32 minutes 50 seconds — missing the podium by just 43 seconds.
Following the elimination of hardcore terrorists in recent operations in Kishtwar district, the Army has intensified counter-terror operations in the Rajouri and Poonch districts along the Line of Control (LoC), where several infiltration bids and drone sightings have been reported in the recent past.
To review the ongoing operations, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Army’s Northern Command, Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, on Thursday visited Shahsitar in Poonch and Hanjanwali in the Rajouri sector. He reviewed the prevailing security situation.
The Army Commander was briefed about the intelligence grid and focused operational capability enhancement measures, vital for sustained operations in a complex security landscape. The Army Commander commended the troops for their high state of morale, professionalism and steadfast dedication under challenging conditions,” an official said.
There have been several failed attempts by terrorists from across the border to infiltrate the Indian side in these twin districts in recent weeks.
On Wednesday, acting on credible intelligence, Army personnel stationed at Bhimber Gali detected suspicious movement and opened fire at terrorists attempting to sneak across the LoC.
Acting on credible intelligence inputs and persistent surveillance, movement of terrorists was detected in the general area of Bhimber Gali along the Line of Control during the early hours of March 4. Responding with decisive force and showcasing superior tactical execution, alert troops of White Knight Corps engaged swiftly, foiling the infiltration attempt and denying any breach of the LoC,” an Army spokesperson said.
Earlier, on February 19, the Army foiled an infiltration attempt in the Sunderbani sector of Rajouri. During searches in the area, troops seized an AK-47 rifle, two magazines, along with ration and clothing. Bloodstains were also found at the site, suggesting that the infiltrating terrorists might have been injured.
On March 1, troops opened fire at a Pakistani drone after it entered the Indian side from across the LoC in Poonch. Earlier, on February 27, troops had fired at another drone in the same area.
Meanwhile, the Army is recruiting 800 porters in Rajouri and Poonch for its newly raised Porter Company.
According to an official, the 279 Porter Company is being raised for 179 days from April 1 to September 26 under the authority of the Ministry of Defence. A recruitment rally to enrol 600 porters and 200 reserve porters for the Army Porter Company will be held at various locations in Rajouri and Poonch from March 12 to 19.
The drive will be conducted at brigade headquarters in Poonch and Rajouri from March 12 to 13; at Balnoi and Nowshera from March 14 to 15; at Bhimber Gali from March 16 to 17; and at Mendhar and Manjakote from March 18 to 19. Porters serve as vital logistical support, often acting as a lifeline in the region’s treacherous and high-altitude areas.
