B. S. Dhaliwal

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Lieutenant General

B. S. Dhaliwal

PVSM  AVSM  VSM
Born(1947-08-16)16 August 1947
Chandigarh, India
Died30 May 2026(2026-05-30) (aged 78)
Chandigarh, India
Allegiance India
Branch
 Indian Army
Service years
1966–2007
Rank
Lieutenant General
Unit
Commands
Awards
Alma mater
Other work

Lieutenant General B. S. Dhaliwal PVSM AVSM VSM (16 August 1947 – 30 May 2026) was an Indian Army General who served as the Engineer-in-Chief at Army Headquarters from 2006 to 2007. He served in the Corps of Engineers, where he had a military career spanning about 41 years. During his service years, he also held appointments in the Military Engineering Service (MES), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and combat engineering formations.[1][2]

Following his retirement from the Indian Army in 2007, Dhaliwal served as the first Advisor (Technical/ Infrastructure)[3] to the Chief Minister of Punjab and was associated with various engineering, infrastructure and sports organizations.[4][5][6]

Early life and education

Dhaliwal was educated at the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers on 25 December 1966.[7] He obtained a bachelor's degree in engineering and later earned a master's degree in human rights from the Institute of Human Rights, New Delhi. He also completed a course in disaster management from Indira Gandhi National Open University.[8] He attended the National Defence College and became a member of several professional engineering organizations, including the Institution of Engineers, Indian Building Congress and Indian Roads Congress.[9]

Military career

Dhaliwal served in the three principal streams of the Corps of Engineers: combat engineering, military works and the Border Roads Organisation.[10] During his career, he held appointments in the Military Engineering Service and the Border Roads Organisation, and also served as Advisor-cum-Instructor with the Indian Army Training Team in Botswana.[11] On 1 May 2006, he assumed office as the Engineer-in-Chief at Army Headquarters, succeeding Lieutenant General Ranjith Singh.[12] For his service, he was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal.[13]

Post-retirement activities

After retiring from the Army in 2007, Dhaliwal became Advisor (Technical/Infrastructure) to the Chief Minister of Punjab. In this capacity, he was involved in infrastructure, technology and policy-related advisory work for successive state governments.[14] In 2011, he became the first Indian recipient of the Engineer of the Year Award conferred by the Federation of Engineering Institutions of Asia and the Pacific (FEIAP).[15] He was also associated with the Yachting Association of India and the Rowing Federation of India, serving as Executive Vice President of both organizations.[16]

Publications

Dhaliwal authored The General Called Tsunami: Memoir of a Sapper, a memoir describing his military career and experiences in the Corps of Engineers.[17]

Death

Dhaliwal died from a heart attack on 30 May 2026.[18] His death was announced by veterans' organisations and members of the Corps of Engineers community.[19][20]

References

  1. "English Releases". Press Information Bureau. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  2. "FEIAP Engineer of the Year Award 2011" (PDF). Federation of Engineering Institutions of Asia and the Pacific. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  3. "Punjab CM's technical adviser Ravi Chawla resigns". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
  4. "Lieutenant General B.S. Dhaliwal, Former Engineer-in-Chief, Passes Away". SSBCrack. 30 May 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  5. Singh, Kanwar Inder (2026-05-31). "Punjab's first Technical Advisor to the State passes away". Royal Patiala. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
  6. "Advisor to CM, vetting tenders worth over Rs 2.50 crore, told to go". The Indian Express. 2025-11-07. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
  7. "English Releases". Press Information Bureau. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  8. "English Releases". Press Information Bureau. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  9. "English Releases". Press Information Bureau. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  10. "English Releases". Press Information Bureau. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  11. "English Releases". Press Information Bureau. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  12. "English Releases". Press Information Bureau. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  13. "Lieutenant General B.S. Dhaliwal, Former Engineer-in-Chief, Passes Away". SSBCrack. 30 May 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  14. "Lieutenant General B.S. Dhaliwal, Former Engineer-in-Chief, Passes Away". SSBCrack. 30 May 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  15. "FEIAP Engineer of the Year Award 2011" (PDF). Federation of Engineering Institutions of Asia and the Pacific. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  16. "Lieutenant General B.S. Dhaliwal, Former Engineer-in-Chief, Passes Away". SSBCrack. 30 May 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  17. "Lieutenant General B.S. Dhaliwal, Former Engineer-in-Chief, Passes Away". SSBCrack. 30 May 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  18. "Indian Army Mourns the Loss of Lt Gen B.S. Dhaliwal, a Visionary Military Engineer - SSBCrack News". 2026-05-30. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
  19. "Lieutenant General B.S. Dhaliwal, Former Engineer-in-Chief, Passes Away". SSBCrack. 30 May 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  20. "LT GEN B S DHALIWAL FORMER E-IN-C LEFT FOR HEAVELY ABODE ON 30 MAY 2026". Sanjha Morcha. 30 May 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.