Breaking the suspense of over two months on naming the Army chief, Lt General Bipin Rawat was announced the new Army chief by the government today. He will take office on the afternoon of 31st December when Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag retires.
Here are few key points about the newly appointed Army chief:
- Lt General Rawat is from 5/11 Gorkha Rifles and is the current Vice Chief of Army Staff of Indian Army.
- Lt Gen Bipin Rawat born in Pauri Garhwal, Uttrakhand.
- He was commissioned in December 1978, from IMA, Dehradun where he has been a recipient of the prestigious ‘Sword of Honour’.
- He has vast experience in high altitude warfare and counter-insurgency operations. He commanded an Infantry battalion along the Line of Actual Control in the Eastern sector, a Rashtriya Rifles sector and an Infantry Division in the Kashmir Valley.
- He has tenanted instructional appointments at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and Army War College, Mhow.
- Lt Gen Rawat has held important staff appointments at Directorate General of Military Operations and Military Secretary’s Branch at Army HQ.
- He has also been Major General, General Staff at HQ Eastern Command. The officer commanded a Multinational Brigade in a Chapter VII mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC).
- He has been an alumnus of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the Higher Command and National Defence College Courses.
- During the span of over 35 years’ of service, he has been awarded for gallantry and distinguished service.
- He has authored numerous articles on ‘National Security’ and ‘Leadership’ which have been published in various journals and publications.
- Army chief designate Bipin Rawat also holds an M. Phil in Defence and Management Studies from Devi Ahilya University, Indore; and Strategic and Defence Studies from Madras University.
- He even has a Diploma in Management and another Diploma in Computer Studies.
- Lt Gen Bipin Rawat has also completed his research on military media strategic studies and was awarded Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph. d) from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut in 2011.
Air Marshal BS Dhanoa meanwhile was named the next chief of the Indian Air Force.
