General Vijay Kumar Singh takes over as new Army chief

New Delhi, Mar 31 (ANI): General Vijay Kumar Singh on Wednesday formally took charge as the 26th chief of the 1.13 million-strong Indian Army.

General Vijay Kumar Singh, 59, will hold the post for the next two years.

An honours graduate of the US Army Infantry School at Georgia in the US, General Vijay Kumar Singh is an alumnus of the Wellington-based Defence Services Staff College, the Mhow-based Army War College and the US Army War College, Carlisle.

A third generation army officer, General Vijay Kumar Singh was commissioned into the Rajput Regiment on June 14, 1970.

He had participated in the 1971 war against Pakistan and in the operations of the Indian Peace-Keeping Force in Sri Lanka in the mid-1980s.

He also commanded the Jalandhar-based 11 Corps and Ambala-based Strike Corps and was an instructor in the Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT) headquarters in Bhutan.

He is a recipient of the Param Vishist Seva Medal, the Ati Vishist Seva Medal and Yudh Seva Medal. He is also one of the honorary ADCs to the President of India, who is the Supreme Commander of the armed forces.

The General has a illustrious record in the Army for standing first in the Young Officers Course of Infantry and again being awarded the Commando Dagger for standing first in the Commando ourse. (ANI)