Background
Kumar was born in Madras, India.
Kumar was born in Madras, India.
As a youth, he attended Saint Thomas High School, Loyola College and Presidency College where he earned a Bachelor of Science. He is a graduate of the staff course at the Defence Services Staff College and has attended both Higher Command and National Defence College.
In August 1967, Kumar was commissioned from Officers Training Academy at the age of 19. He joined the Jat Regiment on June 23 1968, and later commanded the regiment in Arunachal Pradesh and Bikaner, Rajasthan. He also commanded a division of the Assam Rifles in the Ukhrul district of Northeastern Manipur.
Kumar acted as second-in-command of UNAMIR until Guy Tousignant"s parting on December 8 1995, when he assumed acting command until the mission"s completion in March 1996.
He oversaw 1,252 troops and military support personnel, 146 military observers, 56 United Nations Volunteers and approximately 160 international and 160 local civilian staff The Indian army contingent under UNAMIR consisted of an Infantry Battalion 1/3 Gurkha Rifles, an Engineers company commanded by Major B Pandey and a Signals company commanded by Major AV Malhotra.
Kumar was also the head of the Indian contingent. In March, Kumar left Rwanda and flew to Nairobi, Kenya, with five bodyguards, stating to the media present, "We did a good job here under very difficult circumstances.
In the autumn of 1998, he presented a scholastic paper entitled "The Role of Non-governmental Organizations (non-governmental organization), the Civil Society Living in the Area of the Peacekeeping Operations, and the Media in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations" at the first South Asian Peacekeeping Experience Seminar in Bangladesh.
In April 2004, he was posted as Chief Army Instructor at the Defence Services Staff College. He retired from this appointment on January 31, 2008.