Curriculum Vitae
Born in Calcutta on January 1st, 1944, Lt. General Arjun Ray (R) was educated at St. Xavier's School, Jaipur and graduated in Humanities from Rajasthan University. He holds a master's degree in Defence Studies from the University of Madras.
An active participant in debating, elocution and amateur theatre, General Ray won several awards at national level; and was sponsored by Rotary International to tour New Zealand and Australia, as a member of the University Debating Team.
A chequered Army career began with his being commissioned in the 8th Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment on 09 February 1964. As a Major, he attended the Scientific Reorientation course at Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham, and the Staff College at Camberley, U.K. Later, he attended the Higher Command Course and the National Defence Course (NDC) at National Defence College, Delhi.
Posted in London as Deputy Military Advisor from 1986 to 1989, he commanded a mechanized brigade on the Western Front thereafter. During his posting in London, he participated actively in several national and international seminars on international security.
Among General Ray's varied command assignments, most were from armoured formations - 13 Mechanized Infantry, 39 Mechanized Brigade and 33 Armored Division, to commanding 14 Corps at high altitude in Ladakh. For distinguished command of this brigade, he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM). He held varied staff positions and gained instructional experience.
Post National Defence College, he served as Brigadier General Staff in 15 Corps in Kashmir. This stint served as an excellent training ground in fighting insurgency. His first book, 'Kashmir Diary, the Psychology of Militancy' published at this time, served as a purple primer on the mentality of political violence and information on operations in a conflict zone.
During March 1998 to June 2000, as Major General Staff, in charge of Doctrine in HQ Army Training Command (ARTRAC), he organized and conducted a great number of national and international seminars on the complete spectrum of war, conflict, strategies and structures for higher defence organization.
During the more recent Kargil War (June-August 1999), General Ray was responsible for successfully conducting the information campaign, including media relations, on behalf of the army.
Promotion to the rank of Lt. General came with the command of the newly raised 14 Corps in Ladakh; the troops were deployed at the Line of Control opposite Pakistan and the Line of Actual control in Western Tibet.
Soon after taking over the Corps, the General realized that winning over alienated communities in this area was the only solution to bringing peace to the region. Change leadership could prevent conflict. Realizing that human security and human development were the key elements of border management, he planned, worked and won over all the alienated communities and forestalled insurgency, which had earlier threatened to spill over into Ladakh from neighboring Jammu and Kashmir.
In Operation Sadbhavna, the plan to bring peace was through goodwill and visible concern for human security and development. The people of Ladakh were at this centre of gravity. Primary education, healthcare up to tertiary level, women's empowerment, community development and information technology to be used for peaceful purposes, were thrust areas of deep need for development. The success of this campaign, an instrument in nation building, redefined the role of the armed forces as one of "war prevention" rather than "winning wars. The Param Vishisht Seva Medal, the highest recognition of success was awarded to General Ray at this time.
A second calling awaited this thinker soldier in his foray into international school education after voluntary retirement from the army. Visioning, establishing strategizing and steering 3 International Schools in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune, The Indus Training and Research Institute, The Indus School of Leadership, The Indus International Community School and The Indus Early Learning Centers is tangible evidence of General Ray's transformational leadership.
Reader and author, thought-leader and doer, exemplary teacher and learner, builder and leader, General Ray's vision and strategies continue to evolve, improve, inspire, drive and lead where others simply follow. IB World has recently acclaimed the General as one of the six IB World School Leaders on rethinking education, especially by making high quality education affordable to the poor. Education World has also named him as one of the 50 game-changers in education in India.
His second book, Peace Is Everybody's Business: Strategy for Conflict Prevention, is a treatise in conflict-prevention, and has been published by SAGE Publications. The book is inspired by author's success in bringing lasting peace in Ladakh.
