Ranikhet/New Delhi, March 24, 2026 — In a solemn ceremony steeped in military tradition, Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy), formally assumed the distinguished appointment of Colonel of the Regiment for the Kumaon Regiment, Kumaon Scouts, and Naga Regiment on March 23, 2026, at the Kumaon Regimental Centre in Ranikhet. He succeeds Lieutenant General Ram Chander Tiwari, who recently relinquished the role upon completing his tenure as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command.
The position of Colonel of the Regiment represents one of the Indian Army’s most revered institutional honours. It designates the senior-most officer as the ceremonial head, mentor, and custodian of the regiment’s heritage, ethos, and welfare. This role fosters enduring loyalty among personnel, guides training and operational doctrines, and ensures the preservation of battle honours and traditions across generations.
Lieutenant General Ghai, commissioned into the Kumaon Regiment on December 16, 1989, from the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, brings over 36 years of exemplary service marked by exceptional leadership in diverse operational environments. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Army War College, Mhow, and National Defence College, New Delhi, he has commanded units at every level, including an infantry battalion in the western sector, an independent brigade in the northern sector, and the 56th Infantry Division. He previously served as General Officer Commanding of the XV Corps (Chinar Corps) in Srinagar and as Director General of Military Operations at Army Headquarters, where he played a pivotal role in strategic planning, including Operation Sindoor.
His career encompasses extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast, high-altitude warfare in Siachen, and United Nations peacekeeping missions in Lebanon. Lieutenant General Ghai has held critical staff appointments, including in the Military Operations Directorate and at Northern Command. He was awarded the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal (2025), Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (2025), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (2023), and Sena Medal (with two bars) for his distinguished service.
Upon assuming the appointment, Lieutenant General Ghai expressed deep personal pride and humility in leading these “battle-hardened and illustrious regiments,” each renowned for extraordinary valour and an unmatched legacy of sacrifice. He emphasised priorities including soldier welfare, skill enhancement through modern technologies such as drones and AI-driven surveillance, and the reinforcement of regimental cohesion to address evolving security challenges along the Line of Control, Line of Actual Control, and internal security grids.
The Kumaon Regiment, raised in 1815, is celebrated for historic actions such as the legendary defence at Rezang La in 1962. The Kumaon Scouts excel in mountain warfare, while the Naga Regiment, raised in 1970 as the Army’s youngest infantry unit, has distinguished itself in counter-insurgency operations. Collectively, these formations have earned over 7,000 gallantry awards, including two Param Vir Chakras, underscoring their pivotal contributions to national defence.
The transition underscores the Indian Army’s commitment to seamless leadership continuity and the enduring strength of its regimental system. Defence analysts view the appointment as a strategic affirmation of institutional depth, enhancing morale amid ongoing modernisation initiatives under the Atmanirbhar Bharat framework.
Senior military officials, including those attending the concurrent release of the book Valour Triumphs II: A Modern History of Kumaon and Naga Regiment at Ranikhet, witnessed the occasion, which was marked by customary military fervour among troops stationed across forward locations.
This appointment reaffirms the profound bond between leadership and the brave soldiers who uphold the regiments’ motto of valour, honour, and discipline in service to the nation.
