Lt. Gen. K.J.S. Dhillon (Retd) addressing on Young Leaders Forum at Kolkata. Pictures by Bibhash Lodh/BS News Agency.
Sanchita Chatterjee, BS News Agency. Kolkata: The Young Leaders Forum (YLF) brought together an evening of perspective, leadership, and lived experience with Lieutenant General Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon (Retd), PVSM, UYSM, YSM, VSM, at Hyatt Regency Kolkata.
A 1983 commissioned officer, Lt. Gen. Dhillon's career spans nearly four decades, marked by extensive service in counter-insurgency and strategic roles. As the former commander of the Chinar Corps, he led operations in Kashmir during some of its most defining moments, including the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, the Balakot airstrike, and the abrogation of Article 370.
Drawing from these experiences, he spoke candidly about the nature of modern conflict, sharing, "This conflict is not ending soon. You can't enter a war while continually shifting political aims-regime change, for example, can't be achieved without boots on the ground. The adversary's strength lies in attrition warfare: prolonged, small-scale actions that can wear down the U.S., drive up oil and LPG prices, and strain the global economy."
Beyond the battlefield, his leadership has extended into initiatives like Operation Maa, which worked towards guiding local youth away from militancy and back into the mainstream-reflecting a more human, long-term approach to conflict resolution.
The evening was led by YLF Chairpersons Aditya Agarwal and Saloni Suresh. Sharing her thoughts, Saloni Suresh said, "Yesterday's session was nothing short of extraordinary and deeply eye-opening. Lt. Gen. Dhillon's words gave us a far deeper respect for the armed forces-reminding us that a Fauji serves not as a job, but out of love for the country. His insights on teamwork, ownership, and commitment were truly inspiring."
Aditya Agarwal added, "It was an honour to attend this with Lt. Gen. Dhillon. His wisdom and service inspire us to uphold the values of dedication and courage, and his role in shaping key moments of history stands as a powerful example of leadership in action."
The evening left the audience with a deeper understanding of leadership under pressure -where clarity, conviction, and purpose extend far beyond the battlefield.