Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, is a serving general officer of the Indian Army. He currently serves as the 49th Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
Early life and education
He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy,
Khadakwasla and the Indian Military Academy,
Dehradun. He is also an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the Army War College, Mhow and the National Defence College,
New Delhi. In DSSC, he was adjudged as the best all-round student of his course in 2006. Later, he attended the General Staff Course at the
France Collège interarmées de Défense.
The general officer is also qualified in International Defense Acquisition Management Course at the Naval Postgraduate School,
United States.
He was awarded the ‘Silver Centurion’ in the Young Officers Course, he stood first in the order of merit in several courses he attended, including the Junior Command Course.
Military career
The general officer was commissioned into the 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse) on 20 December 1986 from the Indian Military Academy.
In a career spanning over three decades, he has undertaken numerous command, staff and instructional appointments. He has commanded the Skinner's Horse, 98 Armoured Brigade and was General Officer Commanding of Uniform force in Jammu & Kashmir. He has served as brigade major of an independent Armoured brigade, as the Assistant Military Secretary in the Military Secretary's Branch, as Brigadier General Staff (Operations) at the South Western Command, as brigadier perspective plans with the Strategic Planning Directorate and as the Additional Director General Weapons and Equipment.
He also served with the United Nations Angola Verification Mission III as an operations officer from 1995-1996.
He has done instructional tenures as an instructor and assistant adjutant at the National Defence Academy (NDA), and as an instructor at the School of Armoured Warfare,
Ahmednagar.
After being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General, he assumed the appointment of Director General (Discipline, Ceremonial and Welfare) at Army Headquarters, New Delhi. On 31 July 2021, he took over as the General Officer Commanding, XXI Corps.
On 1 November 2023, Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth took over as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, South Western Command succeeding Lieutenant General B. S. Raju who superannuated on 31 October 2023.
On 1 April 2026, Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth took over the appointment of Vice Chief of the Army Staff succeeding Lieutenant General Pushpendra Pal Singh who moved to Western Command as an Army Commander.
Personal life
He is son of Lieutenant General Krishna Mohan Seth (Retd.), who retired as the Adjutant-General of the Indian Army in 1997 and also commanded XXI Strike Corps and III Corps.
The general is an avid sportsman and excels in Tennis and Golf.
Awards and decorations
During his career, the general officer has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2025
, the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal in 2026
and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022
and commendations from the Chief of Army Staff and Army Commanders.
| Param Vishisht Seva Medal | Uttam Yudh seva Medal |
| Ati Vishisht Seva Medal | Samanya Seva Medal | Special Service Medal | Sainya Seva Medal |
| High Altitude Medal | Videsh Seva Medal | 75th Independence Anniversary Medal | 50th Independence Anniversary Medal |
| 30 Years Long Service Medal | 20 Years Long Service Medal | 9 Years Long Service Medal | UNAVEM III |
Dates of rank
|
20 December 1986 |
20 December 1988 |
20 December 1991 |
20 December 1997 |
16 December 2004 |
1 May 2007 |
24 May 2013 (acting)
9 September 2013 (substantive, with seniority from 24 June 2011) |
1 December 2018 (seniority from 1 February 2017) |
31 January 2021 |
