A ceremonial Change of Guard marked the transition of the appointment of Colonel Commandant, Madras Sappers, to Lieutenant General Harpal Singh, AVSM, VSM, Director General Border Roads (DGBR), who will assume the appointment on October 1, 2026.
The ceremonial transition symbolised the continuity of leadership, regimental traditions and the enduring ethos of the Madras Sappers, one of the Indian Army’s distinguished Corps of Engineers.
The baton was handed over by Lieutenant General AK Ramesh, SM, Commandant, College of Military Engineering (CME), Pune, and the outgoing Colonel Commandant of the Madras Sappers. The ceremony represented the formal transition of the regimental appointment from the outgoing Colonel Commandant to his successor.
The appointment of Colonel Commandant holds an important place within the regimental structure of the Indian Army. Beyond its ceremonial significance, it represents a continuing link between serving personnel, veterans and the traditions and institutional heritage of a regiment or corps.
For the Madras Sappers, the transition carries particular significance as the regiment continues to uphold its established traditions while adapting to the changing requirements of military engineering and contemporary operations.
Lieutenant General Harpal Singh, who currently serves as the Director General Border Roads, will formally assume the appointment on October 1. His association with the Corps of Engineers and his present responsibilities in the Border Roads Organisation bring an engineering leadership dimension to the new regimental appointment.
The Madras Sappers have a long association with military engineering, with their personnel contributing to a wide range of engineering and operational tasks in challenging environments. The Corps of Engineers provides critical support to military formations, including mobility, infrastructure and other specialised engineering requirements.
The ceremonial Change of Guard therefore served as more than a formal handover. It represented the continuation of an institutional legacy in which leadership transitions preserve established values while providing continuity for the future.
The participation of Lt Gen AK Ramesh and Lt Gen Harpal Singh in the transition also highlighted the connection between regimental leadership and the wider professional traditions of military engineering. The baton handover symbolised the responsibility associated with carrying forward these traditions and maintaining the ethos of the Madras Sappers.
With Lt Gen Harpal Singh set to assume the appointment from October 1, the Madras Sappers will enter the next phase of their regimental journey under new leadership, while retaining the traditions and values that have shaped the Corps over generations.
The Change of Guard thus underscored a simple but enduring principle of military service: leadership changes, but institutional legacy, regimental identity and commitment to duty continue.
