New Delhi, Jun 20 (PTI) Maj Gen (retd) Lachhman Singh Lehl, who commanded the 20 Mountain Division of the Army that exhibited courage and valour during the 1971 Indo-Pak war, has died, officials said on Saturday.

He was 97 and breathed his last here on June 17, they said.

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Lehl was given the command of the 20 Mountain Division on November 13, 1970, a senior official said.

"The famous battles of 'Hilli' and 'Bogra' were fought in 1971 operations, which were decisive battles in the Eastern Theatre," the official said.

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The Instrument of Surrender taken by the officer against Pakistan's 16 Infantry Division speaks of the valour of the 20 Mountain Division on the eastern front under his command, officials said.

Lehl was the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the division for two-and-a-half years, they said.

On March 14, 1974, he was moved to New Delhi as the Deputy Quarter Master General from where he hung his uniform on July 31, 1978.

He was born in Hoshiarpur district of Punjab and was enrolled in the Indian Military Academy (IMA) as a temporary commission officer and got commissioned in 1 Field Regiment on July 11, 1943.

Maj Gen (retd) Lehl also commanded 3 Field Regiment, 301 Infantry Brigade and 20 Infantry Division, the officials said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)