'Huge privilege': 35 years later, Kargil war veteran General VP Malik's son commands same division as father

General VP Malik (retired) was the Army chief during the Kargil war.

Thirty-five years after his father headed the 8-Mountain in the Kargil War, Major General Sachin Malik will be commanding the same division.

The 8-Mountain division made the lead formation to launch Indian response against Pakistan intruders in 199 in the Drass-Muskoh sector.

General VP Malik (retired) was the Army chief during the Kargil war.

“This is the 25th anniversary, which is a special occasion. I always come here to pay homage to the officers and men who were killed in action during the war and also to remember all the good work that our Army did. This year, it has also become special because Sachin is here and he is commanding the same division that I did, at the same place where we fought the war," General VP Malik told NDTV.

Malik attended the events organised by the Army to commemorate the silver jubilee of Kargil Diwas.

Major General Sachin Malik assumed the charge of general officer commanding (GOC) of 8-Mountain Division in February 2023 as 42nd GOC of the division from Major General Nagendra Singh. The division is headquartered at Khumbathang in Union Territory of Ladakh, stated a report by Times of India. The division is tasked to look after the Line of Control (LOC). Major General Sachin Malik said he looks the posting as a privilege as well as a huge responsibility.

"It is a huge privilege to command the 8 Mountain Division, which is known as the 'Forever in Operations' division - it has always been in operation right from raising (in 1963). While we are commemorating the Rajat Jayanti of the Kargil War, we have to remember that the bulk of my division remains committed and deployed on the line of control to ensure nothing of the sort ever happens again," Major General Malik told NDTV.

Both General Malik and his son Maj Gen Sachin were commissioned into the same regiment, Sikh Light Infantry (Sikh LI).