Lieutenant General Manoj Mukund Naravane took over as the 28th Army chief on Tuesday, succeeding General Bipin Rawat who has become India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). General Naravane was previously the Vice Chief of Army Staff. With Naravane’s appointment, all the three services have got their chiefs including Air Force chief RKS Bhadauria and Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh, from the 56th course of the National Defence Academy (NDA). He has taken over the reins of the Army amid prevailing tensions between India and Pakistan due to provocations by Islamabad through terror activities. A Sikh Light Infantry officer, Naravane was the chief of the eastern command in Kolkata prior to moving to Delhi and was the brain behind the recently conducted major exercises along the eastern border.
Commissioned into 7th Sikh Light Infantry in June 1980, General Naravane has vast experience in counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir and Northeast India. He commanded a Rashtriya Rifles battalion in Jammu and Kashmir and was the Inspector General of Assam Rifles as a Major General.
General Naravane was also the Delhi Area General officer Commanding a couple of years before moving out for other command appointments. He is married to Veena Naravane, a teacher, and has two daughters.
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