Dr. Rajesh Chopra
Major General (Dr) Rajesh Chopra, AVSM(Retd), a highly respected veteran of the Indian Army with more than 37 years of outstanding service, is now the Founder and Director General (DG) of the Indian Malt Whisky Association (IMWA), a position he assumed on March 15, 2024.
Commissioned into the Mechanized Infantry Regiment in 1982, his notable military career featured leadership roles such as commanding a Mechanized Infantry Battalion, an Armored Brigade, and an Infantry Division. He also occupied significant staff roles, including that of Director of Military Operations in the Directorate General of Military Operations (DGMO) at Army Headquarters, where he managed operational plans, exercises, and missions, along the Western front.
His leadership extended to international venues, where he was the Task Force Commander of the Indian Military Task Force (INDMTF) on a UN mission in war-torn Angola, managing peacekeeping and ceasefire efforts. As Major General Doctrines, Conceptions, and Tactics in the Army Training Command in Shimla, he helped develop war-fighting doctrines and concepts for the Indian Army. He has also held important appointments such as Brigadier Operational Logistics in the North East and Chief of Staff of a Corps, where he oversaw sizable men, material and resources. In November 2021, the Honorable President of India awarded him the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in recognition of his dedication and meritorious service.
Beyond his military abilities, Major General Chopra is an outstanding academic. He has an MSc, a double M.Phil. in Defence & Strategic Studies and Public Administration, and a PhD in "Role of Perceived Leadership Styles and Personality Traits of Combatants on their Stress Level and Coping Mechanism: An Empirical Study of Indian Army" from Punjabi University, Patiala. He has attended prestigious professional courses such as the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) ,the Higher Command (HC) Course, as well as specialized training in the former Soviet Union and attended combined amphibious exercises with the United States Marine Corps.
He maintained his expertise across various fields following his retirement in September 2019. He served as a defense consultant, held the position of vice president at a multinational corporation, and worked as a Circle Defence Banking Advisor (CDBA) for the State Bank of India, overseeing an extensive network of defense establishments and fostering robust relationships between the armed, paramilitary forces and SBI.
Major General Chopra possesses strategic management skills, an entrepreneurial spirit for driving change, and a profound commitment to professional ethics. His vast connections within the government, defense, and paramilitary sectors,pan India makes him an exceptional speaker. Major General Chopra is especially well-suited to lead and represent the Indian Malt Whisky Association because of his considerable expertise in public administration, supply chain management, human resource development and security, coupled with his remarkable capacity for both innovation and logical thinking. His extensive background in strategic planning, crisis management, and stakeholder engagement, along with his academic rigor, offers a strong and articulate voice for the emerging Indian malt whisky industry.