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Lt Gen Ajai Kumar Singh,

AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM 

GOC-in-C,

Southern Command

Lieutenant General Ajai Kumar Singh, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, an alumnus of St Gabriel’s Academy Roorkee, National Defence Academy and Indian Military Academy was commissioned into the Seventh Battalion of the Eleventh Gorkha Rifles in December 1984. The General officer is a graduate of Defence Services Staff College and has attended prestigious Higher Command and National Defence College courses.
 
In his 38 years of distinguished military career, he has the distinction of tenating challenging command and staff appointments in varied terrain.  He has vast experience in Counter Insurgency, High Altitude, Glaciated and Desert operations.
  
The General officer commanded the First Battalion of the Eleventh Gorkha Rifles in intense Counter Insurgency environment in Jammu & Kashmir, Independent Brigade Group in the Rann and Creek Sector on Western Front, the Counter Insurgency Force in Sharifabad and TRISHAKTI Corps in North East.
 
The General Officer has rich experience by virtue of serving in varied  Instructional, Staff and Regimental appointments to include Colonel MO at Military Operations Directorate, Brigadier (Discipline & Vigilance), AG’s Branch in IHQ of MoD (Army),  Additional Director General of Military Operations and Director General (Operational Logistics & Strategic Movement). He has also served as Instructor at Commando Wing, Belgaum, Deputy Assistant Adjutant & Quartermaster General in a High Altitude Sector, Deputy Commandant & Commandant of  11 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre.  The General Officer was also Assistant Military Attache (Pension) at Pension Paying Office, Dharan with the Military Wing at Embassy of India in Nepal. He is a recipient of AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, Chief of the Army Staff  and  General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (Central Command) Commendation Cards for his illustrious contribution to the service.
 
An alumnus of Himalayan and Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling the General Officer is a keen Trekker and Mountaineer having climbed Mount Rathong (22005 ft) in Kanchenjunga Massif. He is a keen sportsman with interest in cycling, Yoga and is an ardent reader of spirituality, mythology, history and nature.  
 
The General Officer was married to Mrs Shalini who was a Reikei and Pranic healer with interest in Naturopathy and Yoga and had been actively involved in various welfare activities of troops and families before she left for heavenly abode on 01 Apr 2020. Their son Mr Abhinav Chauhan & daughter Mrs Sanjana are self-employed entrepreneurs in the field of adventure sports, camping and news & entertainment media respectively.
 
The General officer has assumed the appt of GOC-in-C, Southern Comd on 01 Nov 2022.
 
 

 

 

Lt Gen Rana Pratap Kalita, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, GOC-in-C, Eastern Command

Lt Gen Rana Pratap Kalita, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM and alumnus of Sainik School Goalpara, National Defence Academy and Indian Military Academy.  He was commissioned in 9 KUMAON on 09 June 1984.  The General Officer is a graduate of Defence Service Staff College and has attended Higher Command and National Defence College courses. 

In his 37 years of distinguished military career, he has distinction of tenating important and challenging command and staff appointments in North East and Jammu and Kashmir.

The General Officer commanded a Rashtriya Rifles Battalion in intense Counter Insurgency environment in Jammu & Kashmir, Mountain Brigade in peace, an Infantry Division in Jammu & Kashmir and Corps in North East.  He brings with his an enormous operational experience of serving in various Ops to include Op PAWAN in Sri Lanka, Op PARAKRAM & Op RAKSHAK in J&K, Op BAJRANG & Op RHINO in Assam, Op ORCHID in Nagaland and Op HIFAZAT in Manipur.

The General Officer has rich experience by virtue of serving in varied staff appointments to include Col GS of a Division and BGS (Ops) of a Corps in highly active Counter Insurgency environment.  In addition, he has held key appointments in MS Branch, OL Dte, AG’s Branch in IHQ of MoD (Army) and Chief of the Staff, HQ Eastern Comd.  He has also served as Instructor in OTA Chennai and Directing Staff in Higher Command Wing of Army War College, Mhow.

The General Officer had two tenures in United Nations, as a Military Observer in Sierra Leone and Chief Operations Officer in Sudan.  For his illustrious contribution to the service, he has been conferred with UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, COAS Commendation Card & GOC-in-C Eastern Comd Commendation Card.  He was DG MP & PS in AG’s Br, IHQ of MoD prior to taking over as GOC-in-C, Eastern Command.

The General Officer is also the Colonel of the KUMAON & NAGA Regiments and KUMAON SCOUTS.

Married to Mrs Nisha Kalita, the couple have two children. Son is Commissioned in the Army and is a serving offr in 9 KUMAON and daughter is a lecturer in Delhi University.

 

Lt Gen Nav K Khanduri, AVSM, VSM, GOC-IN-C, Western Comd

Lieutenant General Nav K Khanduri, Ati Vishist Seva Medal, Vishist Seva Medal, assumed the appointment of GOC-in-C, Western Command on 01 Nov 2021.

 

An alumnus of Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun and the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, the General passed out with 73rd Regular Course from the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and was commissioned into 27 Air Defence Regiment on 17 Dec 1983. He is an alumnus of the prestigious Defence Services Staff College, College of Defence Management and the National Defence College.

 

In a career spanning over 38 years, the General has served across a wide spectrum of operational areas and has tenanted a host of Command, Staff and Instructional appointments. The General has the unique distinction of commanding an Army Air Defence Brigade in Operation “Rakshak” and later a Mountain Brigade in Operation “Falcon”, He has commanded an Infantry Division on the Western Front and a Corps in Eastern Theatre along the Northern Borders. He had an instructional assignment at College of Defence Management, Secunderabad and has had had varied staff appointments in Field / High Altitude and Integrated Headquarters of MoD (Army). He tenanted the appointment of Director General Operational Logistics and Strategic Movement at IHQ of MoD (Army) prior to being appointed as the GOC-in-C. The General has served on various foreign assignments to include Indian Military Training Team in Bhutan, as United Nation Military Observer (UNMO) at United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) and as Deputy Chief Integrated Service Support (DCISS) at united Nation Mission in Ivory Coast.

 

The General is a Master of Philosophy in Defence Studies from Madras University and also hold a Masters degree in Management Studies from Osmania University. He writes frequently on issues related to international relations and strategy. The General is married to Mrs Vijaya Khanduri and the couple is blessed with a daughter.

 

 

 

 


Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, AVSM, GOC-in-C, Northern Command

1.      Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal has commanded a Jammu and Kashmir Rifles Battalion in Kashmir as well as Deserts and Assam Rifles Sector in Manipur.  He has been the Inspector General of Assam Rifles (East) in North East India and Director General of Infantry at Army Headquarters.  The Officer has commanded the prestigious Rising Star Corps deployed along the J&K and Punjab borders with Pakistan.  He was Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Information System & Coordination) prior to assuming the appointment of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Army.

 
2.    The Officer during his illustrious career spanning across 38 years, has tenanted various staff appointments in an Armoured Brigade, Mountain Division and Strike Corps. His appointments in Army Headquarters include Military Secretary’s Branch, Military Operations Directorate and Infantry Directorate. He has been an instructor at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and Army War College (Higher Command) at Mhow. He has served with the United Nations as a Military Observer in Somalia and has been the Military Advisor to the Government of Seychelles. He has attended the prestigious National Defence College in United States of America.
 

3.    Complementing his illustrious Military Career, are an M Phil degree in Defence & Management Studies and two Master’s Degrees in Strategic Studies, including one from United States Army War College. His articles have been published in Infantry Journal, Army War College Journal, Military Training Review Journal and South Asia Defence & Strategic Review. He has pioneered the first ever compendium on Indo-Myanmar Border Management. In his present appointment, the General officer is actively engaged in the ongoing negotiations with China in resolving the vexed border issue. He is also involved in modernisation and equipping of the largest Army Command of Indian Army, responsible for effective management of highly active Western and Northern Borders.

 

LT GEN SS MAHAL, AVSM, VSM, GOC-IN-C ARMY TRG COMD

Lt Gen Surinder Singh Mahal, was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1984. He has a distinguished and illustrious military career spanning more than 37 years. The General Officer is an alumni of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Higher Command Course, Mhow and National Defence College, New Delhi.

The General Officer carries extensive operational experience and has the distinction of commanding an Independent Armoured Brigade in the Desert Sector, a RAPID and a Strike Corps in the Western Sector. He has also commanded a Combatised Area along the Line of Actual Control.

Instructional appointments tenanted by the General Officer include instructor at the Armoured Corps Centre and School and Senior Instructor at Defence Services Staff College. His staff appointments include two at Military Operations Directorate in different ranks. He has also served in a Counter Insurgency Force Headquarters, Director Force Structuring in Perspective Planning Directorate and a Deputy Military Secretary in a Command Headquarters. His last staff appointment was as Director General (Manpower & Personnel Services) in Adjutant General’s Branch.

For his exemplary dedication and devotion, the General Officer has been awarded the COAS and GOC-in-C Southern Command Commendation Cards, VSM and AVSM.

The General Officer is married to Mrs Sunaina Singh Mahal, a former air hostess with Air India (International) and an aviation hospitality instructor.

The General Officer assumed the appointment of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Army Training Command on 01 Apr 2022.