Major GeneralCyrus Addie PithawallaAC, VSM, is a former General officer of the Indian Army. He was awarded India's highest peacetime decoration for gallantry, the Ashok Chakra, in 1981,[3] and by virtue of this is one of the most decorated flag officers in the history of the Indian Armed Forces (the Ashoka Chakra ranks above all other Indian decorations excepting the Param Vir Chakra, its wartime equivalent, and the Bharat Ratna).
Pithawalla was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on a short-service commission into the 17th battalion, Jammu and Kashmir Rifles on 1 September 1979.[1][4][5] On 1 September 1984, he received a regular commission as a lieutenant.[2]
Pithawalla was awarded the Ashok Chakra in 1981 for a counter-insurgency operation in Manipur.[10] His Ashok Chakra Citation reads as follows:[11]
CITATION SECOND LIEUTENANT CYRUS ADDIE PITHAWALLA
On 6th July, 1981, 2/Lt Cyrus Addie Pithwalla while in command of a Company Column of 17 JAK Rifles was ordered to cordon and search area Tekcham in Manipur and to capture insurgents reported to be there.
2/Lt Pithawalla led his men through marshy and difficult terrain for over seven kilometres. When he was about 200 metres from the Tekcham Hill, he drew fire from the militants there. With total disregard to his personal safety, the officer charged on the militants with lightning speed. When he was just 50 metres short of the area, he found an militant trying to escape. Although, he could have shot the individual dead, he decided to capture him alive. While nearing the fleeing militant, 2/Lt Pithawalla was wounded in the right shoulder by a gun shot.
Despite his serious injury, he personally led the charge and captured the militant who turned out to be one Bisheshwar Singh, the top-most leader of the PLA. In spite of his serious condition, he refused to be evacuated and led his men in a combing operation till 6.00 a.m. the next morning. These operations resulted in the death of seven militants and capture of a very large quantity of arms and ammunition. 2/Lt Cyrus Addie Pithawalla thus displayed bravery of the highest order and extraordinary and inspiring leadership and was awarded the Ashok Chakra.
1 September 1979 (short-service commission)[1] 1 September 1984 (regular commission, with seniority from 30 April 1980 but for increments of pay from 1 September 1979)[2]