The government appointed Lieutenant General Dalbir Singh Suhag as Indiaโs next army chief, following the well-established seniority principle and upholding the order of succession in the force. The Chief of the Army Staff is the commander and usually the highest-ranking officer of the Indian Army. The position is abbreviated as COAS in Indian Army cables and communication, and usually held by a 4-star officer in the rank of General.
The current COAS is General Bikram Singh, who took office on 31 May 2012. A third-generation soldier, Dalbir Singh will succeed Army Chief General Bikram Singh who is retiring on July 31. 59-year-old Lt Gen Suhag, a Gurkha officer, is the senior-most among top generals of the Indian Army. He will take over as 26th chief of Indian Army on August 1, 2014 and will have tenure of 30 months.
Heย isย highlyย decoratedย andย isย theย proudย recipientย ofย the Paramย Vishishtย Sevaย Medal (PVSM), Uttamย Yudhย Sevaย Medal (UYSM),ย Atiย Vishishtย Seva Medal (AVSM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM).
Lt Gen Suhag joined the National Defense Academy in 1970 and was commissioned into the 4/5 GR (FF) in June 1974. He is an alumnus of Sainik School Chittorgarh. He has attendedย various careerย coursesย inย Indiaย andย abroadย which includeย โLongย Defenseย Managementย Courseโ (LDMC) atย CDM, Secunderabadย in 1997-98, NDC Course at New Delhi in 2006, Executive Course in USA in 2005 and Seniorย Missionย Leaders Course (UN) in Kenya in 2007. He has served as a company commander in โOp Pawanโ in Sri Lanka, commanded the 53 Infantry Brigade, which was involved in counter insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley and holds the distinction of commanding 8 Mountain Division in Kargil from October 2007 to December 2008. In 2012, he was put under Discipline and Vigilance ban by then outgoing Army Chief Gen. V K Singh for a failed intelligence operation in Jorhat in Assam. However, subsequently the DV ban was released and he was promoted to Eastern Army commander and then to vice-chief.
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