Syed Ata Hasnain: Difference between revisions

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| honorific_prefix  = [[Lieutenant general|Lieutenant General]]

| rank          =[[File:Lieutenant General of the Indian Army.svg|20px]] [[Lieutenant general|Lieutenant General]]

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[[Lieutenant General]] '''Syed Ata Hasnain''' <small>[[PVSM]], [[UYSM]], [[AVSM]], [[Sena Medal|SM]], [[Vishisht Seva Medal|VSM]] ([[Medal bar|Bar]])</small> is a retired [[General]] of the [[Indian Army]]. His last assignment in service was as the [[Military Secretary (India)|Military Secretary]] of the Indian Army. Prior to that, he commanded the Indian Army's [[XV Corps (India)|15 Corps]] in the state of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]], amongst other appointments.<ref>{{cite web|title=Humane approach with people: Lt Gen Hasnain|url=http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/web1/10dec17/body.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051958/http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/web1/10dec17/body.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016|website=Daily Excelsior}}</ref> He has also commanded [[XXI Corps (India)|21 Corps (Strike)]]. In 2018, General Hasnain was appointed Chancellor of [[Central University of Kashmir]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=13 July 2018|title=Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain is chancellor of Kashmir varsity|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/lt-general-syed-ata-hasnain-is-chancellor-of-kashmir-varsity/articleshow/64969707.cms|access-date=2021-10-23}}</ref>

He later commanded [[19th Infantry Division (India)|19 Infantry Division]] in [[Baramulla]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], as a [[Major General]], serving under the overall direction of XV Corps. As a [[Lieutenant General]], Hasnain has been posted as [[General Officer Commanding]] (GOC), [[XXI Corps (India)|XXI Corps]], in [[Bhopal]], [[Madhya Pradesh]]. In October, 2010, it was announced that he will be returning to [[XV Corps (India)|XV Corps]] in Kashmir, as the GOC of that formation.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-12-04|title=Hasnain takes over Command of the Army’s key 15 Corps|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/regional/hasnain-takes-over-command-of-the-armys-key-15-corps/|access-date=2021-10-23|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> As GOC of XV Corps, he has held several meetings to redress grievances and concerns of commons citizens, and to bring the Army closer to them<ref>{{cite web|last=Sodhi|first=Tejinder Singh|date=11 July 2011|title=This officer reaches out to Kashmir’s awam. Lt-Gen SA Hasnain speaks in Urdu, praises their ‘tehzeeb’ and talks peace.|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110712/main7.htm|url-status=live|access-date=23 October 2021|website=The Tribune}}</ref> He conceived and operationalised the "Hearts Doctrine" which focused on people as the centre of gravity in Kashmir. His contribution towards improving the security scenario in Kashmir was the balance he brought between the employment of hard power in counter infiltration and counter terrorist operations and military soft power. Gen. Hasnain played a pivotal role in starting the [[Kashmir Premier League (India)|Kashmir Premier League]] (KPL) in 2011, to build bridges between Kashmiris and Indian Army men.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Dogra|first=Chander Suta|date=2013-09-28|title=With malice toward goodwill|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/with-malice-toward-goodwill/article5176540.ece|access-date=2021-10-23|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Throughout his tenure he applied an intellectual approach towards conflict and even guided the State Government in its approach as its Security Adviser. On 9 June 2012, Lt Gen Hasnain took office as the [[Military Secretary (India)|Military Secretary]], at Army Headquarters, [[New Delhi]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Yusuf|first=Shabir Ibn|date=1 June 2012|title=Gen Hasnain to demit office on June 9|work=Greater Kashmir|url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2012/Jun/1/gen-hasnain-to-demit-office-on-june-9-68.asp|access-date=23 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304112955/http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2012/Jun/1/gen-hasnain-to-demit-office-on-june-9-68.asp|archive-date=4 March 2014}}</ref> His unique and innovative approach defined as "Playing Friend Not God" has been widely appreciated as the new HR management mantra across domains in and outside the military.

Ever since his superannuation on 30 June 2013, General Hasnain has actively pursued intellectual activities and promoted the cause and perception of the Indian Army. He is a prolific member of Track 2 diplomacy with Pakistan bringing his vast experience of J&K to the meetings.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}} He is a Visiting Fellow of the [[Vivekananda International Foundation]], [[New Delhi]] and Senior Fellow with Delhi Policy Group, two of the most prominent think tanks of New Delhi besides being on the Governing Council of Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}}  He writes for ''[[The Times of India ]]'', ''[[The Indian Express]]'', ''[[Swarajya (magazine)|Swarajya]]'',{{cn|date=September 2020}} ''FAUJI INDIA'' and ''[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]'' on various strategic issues.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}} He lectures at the [[Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration|National Academy of Administration]], [[Mussoorie]] and [[National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics]] (NACEN), [[Faridabad]], besides the [[College of Air Warfare]], [[Army War College, Mhow]], [[Defence Services Staff College]] and various institutions under the [[All India Management Association]] and [[Centre for Land Warfare Studies]] (CLAWS).{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}} He has recently lectured at [[United Service Institution]] (USI) and [[Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses]] (IDSA).{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}}

Gen Hasnain introduced the Scholar Warrior concept to the Indian Army,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd) {{!}} NDMA, GoI|url=https://ndma.gov.in/about-us/members/Lt-Gen-Syed-Ata-Hasnain|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425181013/https://ndma.gov.in/about-us/members/Lt-Gen-Syed-Ata-Hasnain|archive-date=25 April 2021|access-date=2021-10-23|website=ndma.gov.in|quote=...he has been at the forefront of encouraging the adoption of the US initiated Scholar Warrior concept in the Indian Army. ...}}</ref> and after superannuation has extensively promoted the necessity of incorporating military intellectualism and strategic culture in India.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}} In this regard he is a popular  speaker at corporate events.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}} Among the companies that he has addressed include Deloitte, Deutsche Bank, Ashok Leyland, Larsen & Toubro (Design), Amdocs Pune, Atoc, Sanofi Pasteur, SBI, KPMG and Amit Rathi and Knight Frank India.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}} His talks have been greatly appreciated because of the passion, patriotic fervor and linkages that he establishes between national security, the common citizen and the corporate world.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}} He has spoken at nine chapters of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and the Chennai chapter of the Entrepreneur Organisation of India, each on a different subject.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}} He spoke at the Regional Meeting of the Owner's Forum in Mar 2017 and DEc 2018; a reputed international corporate club of families who own business houses.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}} A signature event was his talk to the visiting members of YPO Coastal California, on India-US relations.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}} Gen Hasnain's attraction as a speaker of international repute is his long experience in turbulent zones and ability to handle touchy issues with ease.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}} His vast knowledge of history, politics and international relations allows him to address and explain issues which would need days of individual study to understand and comprehend.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}}

On 21 February 2020 he was appointed Member of the [[National Disaster Management Authority (India)|National Disaster Management Authority]] (NDMA) in the status of [[Secretary to the Government of India]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Who is Who {{!}} NDMA, GoI|url=https://ndma.gov.in/about-us/Who-Is-Who|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425224956/https://ndma.gov.in/about-us/Who-Is-Who|archive-date=25 April 2021|access-date=2021-10-23|website=ndma.gov.in}}</ref> In that appointment, he is currently also a member of the Empowered Committee for Information & Communication set up by the [[Prime Minister's Office (India)|Prime Minister's Office]] (PMO).{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}} He also serves on a number of consultative committees of the Government of India.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}}

*{{Cite web|last=|first=|authors=Lt-Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd)|date=6 October 2018|title=How oil crisis began & multiplied into geopolitics|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/comment/how-oil-crisis-began-multiplied-into-geopolitics-663807|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-23|website=Tribune India}}