F. N. Billimoria

Lieutenant General Faridoon Noshir Billimoria, PVSM (1933–2005) was an Indian Army officer who was the 15th General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Central Command. He commanded a battalion in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.[1] He was also the commandant of the Defence Services Staff College in 1986.[2]

Lieutenant General F N Billimoria PVSM
Nickname(s)	Billy
Born	1933 India
Died	2005
Allegiance	British Indian Empire  India
Service/branch	British Indian Army  Indian Army
Years of service	1955-1993
Rank	Lieutenant General
Unit	2/5 Gorkha Rifles and 27th Mountain Division
Commands held	X Corps 2/5 Gorkha Rifles
Battles/wars	Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Awards	Param Vishisht Seva Medal
Relations	Karan Bilimoria, Baron Bilimoria (son)

Lt Gen Bilimoria, popularly known as 'General Billy' also served as aide-de-camp to the first Indian President, Dr Rajendra Prasad.[3] He commanded 2/5 Gorkha Rifles during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Lt Gen Bilimoria, while he was the Central Army Commander, was also sent by the Government of India to Sri Lanka in 1990 to review the work of the Indian Peace Keeping Force which had been deployed during the Sri Lankan Civil War under the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, and it was on his recommendations that the force was recalled in 1990, ending India's military engagement with the LTTE.[4]

He attended The Doon School and then joined the 2nd course of the Joint Services Wing (JSW), a forerunner of the National Defence Academy (NDA).[5][6]

The Lt Gen F N Billimoria trophy, named after him, is awarded to the best officer in the graduating class of Army Medical Corps Centre & School in the Lucknow Cantonment.[7]

He married his wife Yasmin in January 1960 at Secunderabad. They have two sons.[8]

References

1. "Ft-Lt Raina adjudged best - Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 24 February 2004. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
2. http://www.dssc.gov.in/history/DSSC,%20Wellington%20-%20TIMELINE.pdf
3. kanwar, raj. "Lt Gen FN Bilimoria: A Soldier". The Citizen. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
4. "Lieutenant-General Faridoon Bilimoria".
5. Indian Defence Review 1990, pg. 133 "Lieutenant, General Billimoria F.N., G.O.C-in-command....Education:The Doon School"
6. "Lt Gen FN Bilimoria: A Soldier's General". thecitizen.in.
7. "Indian Navy | Best Officer [www.bharat-rakshak.com]". Bharat-rakshak.com. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
8. kanwar, raj. "Lt Gen FN Bilimoria: A Soldier". The Citizen. Retrieved 26 June 2020.

Military offices
Preceded by Mahipat Sinhji	Commandant of the Defence Services Staff College 1986 - 1987	Succeeded by Gurinder Singh
Preceded by Sunith Francis Rodrigues	General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Central Command 1989 - 1991	Succeeded by Vijai Singh