By A Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
The present General Officer Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Command of an Indian Army is a Muslim. Lieutenant General P M Hariz took over the post from Lt. Gen. Bipin Rawat on September 1 and is now commanding the largest geographical formation of the Indian Army.
He is a resident of Kuttikadavu, a village located 16 kms from the city of Kozhikode, Kerala. Prior to the current appointment, he was GOC-in-C at Army Training Command in Shimla.
Photo Credit : IE Online.in
He did his schooling from Sainik School, Amravatinagar in Tamil Nadu. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla.
On completion of basic military training from Indian Military Academy in Dehradun in 1978, he was commissioned into 12 Mechanised Infantry Battalion, and later commanded 19 Mechanised Infantry Battalion (Recce and Support).
He has a vast experience of serving on prestigious staff and command appointments. He also has the unique distinction of holding various United Nations appointments, including a combined tenure as Military Observer, Chief Personnel Officer, and Regional Commander in Angola.
Decorated with Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal, and Vishisht Seva Medal, Hariz served as instructor at Infantry School in Mhow and also at the prestigious Defense Services Staff College in Wellington.
He has commanded a Battalion, Brigade, Division and Corps in the Western Sector. He also commanded an operational sub-area and has been on staff appointments at various levels at the Integrated Headquarters (Army) in New Delhi.
He is the son of Late Pattiarimmal Mohamed Ali who had retired as Communications Officer of Trichy airport in Tamil Nadu and his late mother Amina was a teacher.
Hariz’s wife Zarina Hariz is a daughter of Late Col. E.P.M. Rahman from Wandoor in the Malappuram district. She is known to be very active in Army Welfare Association and works dedicatedly for empowerment of women.
Their son, Zoheb, is a commissioned officer in a Mechanized Infantry Battalion of the Indian Army while daughter Shaista is a special educator in the British Council School in New Delhi.
Hariz has two siblings; his sister Adv. Shameem has been practicing for more than 30 years and is currently a senior lawyer at Bandra Family Court in Mumbai.
His younger brother Arif has served in the Indian Navy as a Commander and after taking voluntary retirement now works with Crimson Energy Experts Pvt. Ltd as Senior Engineering Consultant.