ARMED FORCES
Major General Ian Cardozo (Instituted in 2010-11)
Major General Ian Cardozo was born in Mumbai and studied at St. Xavier's School and College. He subsequently joined the National Defence Academy Khadakvasla. He was wounded in the battle of Sylhet due to a mine blast & had to cut off his own leg due to his unit's medical facilities being destroyed by enemy artillery. He was fitted with an artificial leg at the Artificial Limb Centre, Pune and decided to make himself physically as fit as non-disabled officers and was the first war-disabled officer to command an infantry brigade and subsequently an Infantry Division, both in J&K. He is credited as being the officer who opened up promotion for war disabled officers to do courses, to be promoted and to command formations in peace and field. On retirement from the Army, he joined an NGO that worked for disabled children and also the Disabled Rights Group that campaigned for the rights of disabled persons. After seven years of work with the Spastics Society of Northern India he was appointed as the Chairman of the Rehabilitation Council of India where he serves till date. He swims regularly and has won several gold, silver and bronze medals in national swimming competitions for the disabled. He is also on the Council of the United Service Institution of India and the Board of Action for Ability, Development and Inclusion, an NGO that works for the development of the disabled of India.