Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Indian Armed forces witnessed a major reshuffle at the top on Friday. As per the sources major changes in the Army included one new Army Commander, DG Military Operations, the Adjutant General and a Corps Commander. Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, National Defence Academy and Strategic Forces Command also saw new faces assuming charge at the top.
Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) SS Mahal took over as the General Officer Commanding in Chief (C-inC), Army Training Command (ARTRAC). He was the General Officer Commanding (GoC) Uttar Bharat (UB) Area. Lt General Mahal moved to Artrac after Lt Gen Raj Shukla retired on 31 March. UB area, unlike the other administrative headquarters, is a combatised area as it has operational troops under its command. Lt Gen Mahal was commissioned in December 1984 into 41 Armoured Regiment.
Also, with the retirement of Lt Gen Raj Shukla, Lt Gen MK Pandey, the current Vice Chief of Army Staff remains the senior most serving officer after General MM Naravane. The government is in process to select the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) after the untimely demise of General Bipin Rawat.
In the Army Lt Gen Ponappa took charge of the Adjutant General (AG), shifting from the post of Deputy Chief (Information, Services & Training). AG looks after the welfare and discipline of the Army.
Lt Gen JP Mathews has moved in place of Lt Gen Mahal as the GoC UB Area. Prior to the new posting Lt Gen Mathews was Commanding the Dimapur based Spear (3 Corps) Corps with the Line of Actual Control, Myanmar Border and Counter Insurgency under its responsibility.
A new Director General Military Operations will take charge at the New Delhi based Army headquarters. Lt Gen MK Katiyar is the new DGMO of the Army who was commanding the Mathura based I Strike Corps and will take over as DGMO on 30th April. The current DGMO Lt Gen BS Raju is in line to become the Army Commander.
In the Navy, Vice Admiral Sanjay Mahindru assumed charge as Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff on 31 Mar. He was commissioned into the Navy in Jan 85 as a Submarine and Navigation Specialist. On elevation to the rank of Vice Admiral in 2019, he held the challenging and coveted appointment of Deputy C-in-C of the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) prior taking over as Deputy Chief of Naval Staff.
He succeeded Vice Admiral Ravneet Singh who retired after more than 38 years of illustrious service on 31 Mar 2022.
At the tri-services level the prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA) and Strategic Forces Command have new officers at the helm. NDA has got the new Commandant with Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar, assuming the appointment on Friday from Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor. Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor is heading Delhi as the Director General Inspection and Safety.
Vice Admiral Kochhar, commissioned in July 1988, was Project Director (Operations and Training) at Headquarters Advanced Tactical Vessel Program, HQ, and New Delhi. His command tenure includes the Command of India’s only Aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. He was also the Fleet Commander Western Fleet, the sword arm of the Navy.
Another important change has taken place at the Strategic Forces Command. Air Marshal RGK Kapoor is the new Commander in Chief in place of Air Marshal Rajesh Kumar who superannuated on March 31. The SFC operationalises the delivery of nuclear weapons and warheads after the go-ahead from the Nuclear Command Authority.
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