India to have Gen Dwivedi as new army chief on June 30
India has named Lt General Upendra Dwivedi as army chief to succeed Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj C. Pande on June 30.
According to Indian media, Lt General Dwivedi, who has been decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, is currently the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
Born in 1964, Lt General Dwivedi was commissioned into the Jammu & Kashmir Rifles, an infantry regiment of the Indian Army on December 15, 1984. In his 40 years of service, he has held a wide variety of roles. His Command appointments include Command of Regiment (18 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles), Brigade (26 Sector Assam Rifles), DIG, Assam Rifles (East) and 9 Corps, a government release said on Tuesday.
As a Lt General he has held important posts, including those of Director General Infantry and General Officer Commanding in Chief of the Northern Command from 2022 to 2024, before being appointed the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
Having studied at the Sainik School Rewa, National Defence College and US Army War College, Lt General Upendra Dwivedi has also undergone courses at the DSSC Wellington and Army War College, Mhow. He was conferred ‘Distinguished Fellow’ in the coveted NDC equivalent course at the US Army War College in Carlisle.
He has an M Phil in Defence and Management Studies and two Master’s degrees in Strategic Studies and Military Science. He has also been decorated with three GOC-in-C Commendation Cards.
Army chief General Pande, who was scheduled to retire at the end of May, was given a one-month extension of service. He was appointed the Army chief on April 30, 2022.
