General Ved Prakash Malik, the 19th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army, is a decorated military leader honored with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Param Vishisht Seva Medal. He notably led the Indian Army during the 1999 Kargil War (Operation Vijay), successfully repelling Pakistani intrusions in the Kargil-Siachen sector. As Army Chief, he commanded over a million troops and advised the Indian government on key security matters, including counter-terror operations in Jammu & Kashmir and the Northeast, and border management with China and Pakistan. Post-retirement, he served on the National Security Advisory Board and was appointed by Hewitt Associates and Fortune Magazine to a panel ranking Asia Pacific’s top leadership companies. A respected author, he has written Kargil: From Surprise to Victory and India’s Military Conflicts and Diplomacy, offering deep insights into India’s defense and strategic affairs.