Lt General Dalbir Singh Suhag takes over as new Army Chief today

July 31, 2014 08:59

Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, whose appointment as Army chief had kicked up a row, will take over on Thursday as the next head of the 1.3 million strong force succeeding Gen. Bikram Singh who is retiring.

Lt Gen Suhag was designated as army chief in May by the outgoing UPA government ignoring protests from his predecessor Gen VK Singh and the BJP.

59-year-old Lt Gen Suhag, a Gurkha officer who had participated in the 1987 Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) operation in Sri Lanka, is currently the Vice Chief of Army Staff.

He will have a tenure of 30 months as the 26th Chief of Army Staff.

Lt Gen Suhag was made the Vice Chief of Army Staff in December last year. Earlier, he had taken over as the Eastern Army Commander on June 16, 2012.

He was at the centre of a controversy triggered by discipline and vigilance ban imposed on him by the then army chief Gen VK Singh in connection with an intelligence operation in Assam earlier.

The ban on Lt Gen Suhag, the then 2 Corps Commander, was lifted soon after Gen Bikram Singh took over in May, 2012.

BJP had questioned the "hurry" in making the appointment and insisted that the matter be left to the next government.

However, soon after the NDA government took over, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said the new dispensation will continue with the appointment made during UPA rule.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Scale of human rights abuses increased under Modi: US report

An independent United States Congressional research report has alleged that the scope and scale of human rights abuses in India has increased under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

IndiGo, Air India plan to buy 170 wide-body planes

In little over a year, Air India and IndiGo have announced plans to purchase up to 170 wide-body planes as they bet on ambitious expansion and efforts also continue to make India a global aviation hub. Also, the two carriers' orders...

EC issues notice over Modi's 'mangalsutra' speech

Separately, the poll panel also issued a notice to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, asking him to respond to the complaints filed by the BJP against him and the main opposition party's senior leader Rahul Gandhi regarding their...

Firing outside Salman's home: Cops claim 'international link'

The Mumbai police on Thursday told a court in Mumbai that there is a possibility of an 'international connection' in the recent firing outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's residence.

Nehra, not Hardik, built GT legacy? Gill's admission

Shubman Gill feels that he will be "doing injustice to himself and his team" if national selection occupies his mind.