Major-General Aneet Singh SIHOTA VSM

SIHOTA, VSM, Major-General Aneet Singh Major-General Aneet Singh Sihota, VSM, passed away peacefully at the age of 73, on June 30, 2017, surrounded by family and friends at the North York General Hospital in Toronto. His wife of 48 years, Purnima (Kikky) Sihota nee Jind and daughters Preneet (Nikky) Nag and Amrita (Pebbles) Srivastava were by his bedside in an outpouring of love and devotion. Lovingly called 'Neety', General Sihota (Aneet) was born in Muree, India on July 15, 1943. After completing Senior Cambridge from Lawrence School, Sanawar, he embarked on a career in the military enrolling as an Officer Cadet in the prestigious National Defense Academy. Four years later, upon graduating from the Indian Military Academy, he was commissioned into the 16th Light Cavalry, an elite regiment of the Indian Armoured Corps. As a 2nd Lieutenant, he led a troop of Centurion tanks in the 1965 Indo-Pak war, where his regiment played a leading role in halting the enemy advance. While performing the role of an Adjutant in the rank of a Captain, his new regiment, the 71st Armoured, routed Pakistani armour on the Western front during the 1971 war for the liberation of Bangladesh. Selected for higher command, he attended and graduated from the renowned Defense Services Staff College in Wellington, during the 1974-1975 period. The professionalism and prowess he demonstrated time and again during war as well as in peace time led to Neety's selection to the Anti-Tank Warfare Course in Leningrad, Russia in 1984 in the rank of Lt. Colonel. In 1991, he was awarded the VSM (Vishisht Sewa Medal) in recognition of exemplary service to the country. One year later, as a Brigadier General, he attended the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, at the invitation of the United States Government. He graduated from this prestigious institution with glowing tributes. As the Chief of Staff of an elite Corps during the 1999 Pakistani invasion of India in Kargil, Kashmir, Major General Neety Sihota was one of the key architects behind the enemy's rout and eventual eviction. Aside of his professionalism, Major General Sihota truly epitomized the term "an officer and a gentleman" throughout his long and stellar career. His legendary attention to detail earned him the moniker of "cheetah", for an eagle eye that never missed the smallest deficiency. Given his integrity, strength of character, steely resolve, together with his calm and courtly demeanor forever tinged with good humour, he was a role model for and a mentor to those he led and with whom he served. In 2001, after his retirement from the Army, General Sihota (Neety) began a second career as General Manager for Span International, a logistics provider for the automotive industry. In 2002, he was transferred to the company headquarters in Toronto, Canada, as Project Manager where he had a highly successful career in Operations, specializing in Process Development and Quality Systems. As in his prior career, Neety was highly regarded by his company staff, not only for his professional skills but equally for his humane, enlightened and inspiring approach to management. The funeral service will be held on July the 6th, at Chapel Ridge located at 8911 Woodbine Avenue, Markham, Ontario, L3R 5G1, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., followed by cremation at Highland Hills crematorium located at 12492 Woodbine Avenue, Gormely, Ontario, L0H 1G0.