PANAJI
Lieutenant General Michael Fernandez was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) by President Droupadi Murmu at an investiture ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The President conferred Distinguished Service Awards to 84 serving and retired personnel of the Armed Forces and the Indian Coast Guard during Defence Investiture Ceremony (Phase-II) in New Delhi.
Lt Gen Michael Anthony Jude Fernandez, who traces his roots to Saligao and is a son-in-law of Aldona, is part of an elite band of Goans who has risen to the rank of Lieutenant General of the Indian Army, according to noted writer and researcher Valmiki Faleiro.
His father hailed from Saligao, while his mother “ born in Kenya “ was from Aldona.
Lt Gen Fernandez’ grandfather left Saligao to join the Indian Railways in Bihar, while the General’s father also worked for the railways but shifted to Bengaluru.
Lt Gen Fernandez passed out of the 72nd Course (Bravo squadron) of the NDA-Pune in 1987. He was commissioned from the 82nd Regular Batch of the IMA-Dehradun into the Corps of Engineers (the Madras Sappers) in June 1988.
“In his over 33 years in Indian Army, Lt Gen Fernandez has served in varied operations and terrain (Plains and High Altitude) in command, staff and instructional assignments. He was part of the Indian Peacekeeping Force in Sri Lanka (1989-90) and a Sector Engineer at UNIFIL (2001-02),” said Faleiro.
“He was picked out for the General Cadre and given command of fighting formations of the Indian Army. He commanded an Amphibious Infantry Brigade and then an Infantry Division in the Desert Sector.”
With a UN background, when the Indian Army brought out the maiden edition of the UN journal, Blue Helmet Odyssey (devoted to the UN Peacekeeping Force around the world, to which India has contributed much since 1947), its chief editor was Lt Gen Fernandez. The journal was launched by the Army Chief, Vice Chief and Deputy Chief on Army Day, January 15 2022.
