Joginder Jaswant Singh sworn in as Arunachal Gov

Itanagar, Jan 27: Former Army Chief General Joginder Jaswant Singh was today sworn in as the new Governor of Arunachal Pradesh.

Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Jasti Chalameswar administered the oath and secrecy of office to the new Governor at a simple ceremony at the Darbar Hall of the Rajbhawan here this morning. Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, along with his Cabinet colleagues, MLAs and high-ranking police and civil officers, were present at the ceremony. Born on September 17, 1945, in Bhawalpur (now in Pakistan), General J J Singh was the country's first Sikh Chief of Army Staff.

He served in that capacity from January 31, 2005 to September 30, 2007.

He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment on August two, 1964. He received the colour of the battalion from former President Dr Zakir Hussain at the Investiture Parade in 1968, and was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal during his command tenure with the nine Maratha Light Infantry in Arunachal Pradesh.

Mr Singh was decorated with the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in recognition of his services in the planning and execution of the 1999 Kargil War. Later, he was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) on January 26, 2004 for his distinguished services of the highest order.

Affectionately known as ''General JJ'' within Army circles, he is an ace shooter and plays basketball, squash and golf. He is also a keen mountaineer who was trained under late Tenzing Norgay at the Himalayan Mounrtaineering Institute in Darjeeling.

UNI