Lieutenant General Kashmir Singh Katoch, MC (15 July 1915 – 25 April 2007) was an Indian Army General and military adviser to the Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir,[1] officiating as the Chief of Staff of the State Forces during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947.

[5] On 19 April 1942 he was attached to the 10th (training) battalion Frontier Force Rifles and by October 1942 held the rank of Lieutenant, war substantive Captain and temporary Major.

[6] He fought in World War II, commanding the Dogra Company of 6th battalion Frontier Force Rifles.

However, Katoch felt that he was too junior to serve as the Chief of Staff and advised the Maharaja to appoint a senior officer such as Brigadier Rajinder Singh.

[21] The Government of India awarded Gen Katoch the third highest civilian honour, the Padma Bhushan, in 1965,[22]