NEW DELHI: Colonel Rajesh Kalia, an Army officer known for his strategic roles in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the northeast, has hung his boots after a distinguished 37-year career.
A paratrooper by training, Colonel Kalia served as the Defence Public Relations Officer (PRO) in both the 3 and 4 Corps of the Indian Army where he played a pivotal role in articulating the military’s perspective in the ongoing fight against insurgency across northeastern states.
When he was assigned to the Northern Command based in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, in 2007, he played an instrumental role in countering the perception warfare launched by Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI.
He was inducted into the Army’s 4-Para in 1988. He has an extensive operational background that includes service in Sri Lanka as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), participation in ‘Operation Meghdhoot’ in Siachen and involvement in counter-insurgency operations such as ‘Operation Rhino’ in the northeast and ‘Operation Rakshak’ in Jammu and Kashmir.
In recognition of his expertise in Siachen, Col Kalia was appointed as the media in-charge for the first civilian expedition to the glaciers in 2007.
His responsibilities expanded after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. He served as the Army’s point person in the Kashmir valley, holding daily media briefings on the evolving situation there.
Col Kalia’s experience in the northern sector allowed him to effectively convey the Army’s viewpoint during several significant incidents, including the tragic terror attack on a CRPF bus that claimed the lives of 40 personnel in February 2019, the Balakot surgical strike, and the violence that ensued after the death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in 2016.
He also handled the media after the terror attack on the Uri garrison in 2016.
His military career ended on Monday with a lecture to officers attending the Higher Defence Management Course at the College of Defence Management (CDM) in Secunderabad, Telangana. He spoke on the topic of ‘Communication in the Fog of Misinformation’.
Additionally, Colonel Kalia managed media relations during Military War Games throughout his tenure. (PTI)
