New Delhi:Former Army chief Gen Vishwa Nath Sharma (retd) died on Friday at the age of 96, the Indian Army said. Gen Sharma was the Chief of the Army Staff from June 30, 1988 to June 30, 1990, and saw action as a major during the 1965 Indo-Pak War in the Lahore Sector. He commanded the Armoured Regiment and held important staff and instructional appointments. Post 1965 war, he was promoted to the rank of a brigadier. He commanded a Mountain Brigade in an insurgency-affected area and was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 1977 for distinguished service, according to his profile on the Army's website.