Our Team - The Club of Rome - India

Lt. Gen. Arun Kumar Sahni
Director General, Indian National Association for the Club of Rome

Lt Gen Arun Kumar Sahni

Lt. Gen. Arun Kumar Sahni is a decorated, scholar – soldier, with 40 years of commissioned service in the Indian Army. In his last assignment, tenanting the second highest rank of the army, he was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of one of the six operational commands of the Indian Army.

His experience encompasses command and staff assignments, in the country’s most in hospitable and conflict affected areas to battle external and internal security challenges. He has displayed exceptional leadership ability to motivate his teams to achieve results far above expectations, be it along the disputed international borders against our neighbours or combating insurgency in India and abroad.

Lt. Gen. Arun Sahni has an unenviable record of being a high achiever throughout his career, starting with the ‘Sword of Honour’ and President’s Gold medal on commissioning to the Army, in 1976. Among several awards for his exceptional leadership skills and courage, he has been decorated with the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, by the President of India, which is the second highest medal for peace time gallantry. On Republic Day this year, he was conferred the coveted Param Vishist Seva Medal, by the President of India, for sustained meritorious service.

Over 40 years, he has assumed many roles and duties. In addition to his Command assignments of leading military formations, his important staff appointments include ‘Chief Operations Officer’ of an Infantry Brigade in Sri Lanka as part of Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), Colonel General Staff responsible for operations of a Counter Insurgency Force in Jammu & Kashmir, ‘Principal Staff officer’ at Army Headquarters, Delhi, responsible for force structuring, identification of weapons and equipment required for capacity building, training, cyber security and operation preparedness of the Indian Army and ‘Director General Information Technology’ where he had to harmonize perspective plans for digitization and steered network enablement for the Indian Army. He has been an Instructor at various Military Institutions within the country to impart basic and specialized training, not only to own officers, but also those from friendly foreign countries.

Lt. Gen. Arun Sahni has represented the country as a military delegate, at UN Headquarters at Geneva for the international conference debating banning of land mines. He has trained with the British Army for a year and represented the country as a military diplomat for three years at Embassy of India, Moscow, Russia.

Lt Gen. Arun Sahni is well read and keeps himself updated on all issues of National Security. He is well respected for his professional iterations and academic excellence. He has actively participated and spoken at various seminars, conclaves and prestigious institution / academic establishments on contextual subjects, including Chamber of Indian Industries (CII) and Young Entrepreneurs of India (YPO). He is a keen sportsman. He is an accomplished horseman and polo player and has represented the country in Polo and Equestrian events at Jordan and Dubai, including being a probable for the Indian Tent Pegging Team for Asian Games, in 1982. He still continues with his polo and equestrian sports and is a good golfer.

At this point in his life, he aspires to contribute meaningfully to all levels of society through experience sharing and formal interface at the operational, directional and strategic level with all kinds of organizations. He is mentoring start-ups and new initiatives that are in the domain of Information Security, Cyber and HR Management. He is an active participant with various think tanks within the country on a wide range of subjects, with specific reference to National Security Issues – External and Internal, International and Regional dynamics impacting India, Technological issues related to ‘Technological Sovereignty, Cyber, Force Multipliers and surveillance, Nuances of Counter Terrorist Operation in the North East and J&K, Dynamics of Integration of North Eastern States including contours of Conflict Resolution, Strategic and Visionary Leadership skills/nuances and Impact of Tactical Nuclear Weapons on South Asian Deterrence Dynamics.