New Delhi, February 27
Unable to see a future for himself in the Army, Lieut-Gen Arjun Ray, General Officer Commanding, Leh-based 14 Corps, has sought premature retirement, more than a year before he was due for retirement.
According to sources in the Army, General Ray, who has had a high-profile career and had also closely coordinated media coverage during the short conflict with Pakistan in Kargil in 1999, put in his papers seeking premature retirement as he had offers from a number of multinational companies. He has been approached to handle their business interests in the country.
General Ray, highly distinguished mechanised infantry officer, may be relieved by the middle of March, highly placed Defence sources said.
The General has emerged as a popular figure in the remote mountainous region with his corps taking up a civic campaign to win over the hearts and minds of the people. General Ray had been handling well the Army’s Operation Sadhbhavana aimed at bringing the people of Turtuk village wrested by Indian security forces in 1971 Indo-Pak war into national mainstream.
General Ray has put in more than 35 years of service. He was to have been selected for the post of the first Chief of DIA of the country last year. But with the new appointments not coming for a while, the General apparently sees no future for himself with the Army and is expected to take up a new assignment soon. Even last year there had been reports that General Ray was wanting to seek premature retirement and had also put in his papers. The move then was also seen as an attempt by the officer to put pressure on the authorities after he was not made one of the “Army Commanders”.
