Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, SYSM, PVSM, AVSM, SM is a serving general officer of the Indian Army. He is currently serving as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command. He previously served as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy), prior to that he was Director General of Military Operations. He earlier served as the General Officer Commanding II corps. He is also the Colonel of the Regiment of the Madras Regiment.
Early life and education The general officer is an alumnus of Uttar Pradesh Sainik School, Lucknow. He then attended the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He is also an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, College of Defence Management, Secunderabad and the National Defence College, New Delhi.
Military career He was commissioned into the 2nd battalion of the Madras Regiment on 19 December 1987 from the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He has taken part in various operations in home and abroad, which includes UNOCI. As a Brigadier, he commanded 80 Infantry Brigade in Jammu and Kashmir. As a Major General, he was appointed as General Officer Commanding 25 Infantry Division and also served in the Military Secretary's branch at the IHQ of MoD, New Delhi.
After being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General, he was appointed as the Director General Information Warfare at the newly institutionalized Information Directorate at the Army Headquarters, New Delhi. On 21 March 2022, he took over as the General Officer Commanding Kharga Corps (II Corps) from Lieutenant general N. S. Raja Subramani. A year later on 1 July 2023, he assumed the appointment of Director General of Military Operations. After completing his term as the DGMO, on 1 November 2024 he took over as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) succeeding Lieutenant General Tarun Kumar Aich.
On 1 May 2025, Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma took over as the General Officer Commanding in Chief, Northern Command succeeding Lieutenant General M. V. Suchindra Kumar when the latter superannuated on 30 April 2025.
Personal life He is an cyclist and reads with a penchant for research.
Awards and decorations The general officer has been awarded with the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal on Independence Day 2025 for his role during Operation Sindoor, the Param Vishisht Seva Medal on Republic Day 2025, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2021 and the Sena Medal.
Sarvottam Yudh Seva MedalParam Vishisht Seva MedalAti Vishisht Seva MedalSena MedalSamanya Seva MedalSpecial Service MedalSiachen Glacier MedalOperation Parakram MedalSainya Seva MedalHigh Altitude MedalVidesh Seva Medal75th Independence Anniversary Medal50th Independence Anniversary Medal30 Years Long Service Medal20 Years Long Service Medal9 Years Long Service MedalUNOCI
Dates of rank InsigniaRankComponentDate of rankSecond LieutenantIndian Army19 December 1987LieutenantIndian Army19 December 1989CaptainIndian Army19 December 1992MajorIndian Army19 December 1998Lieutenant ColonelIndian Army16 December 2004ColonelIndian Army1 January 2008BrigadierIndian Army25 October 2013 (acting)9 November 2014 (substantive with seniority from 28 January 2012)Major GeneralIndian Army1 October 2019 (seniority from 1 January 2018)Lieutenant GeneralIndian Army9 December 2021
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