Centre appoints Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi as next Chief of Army Staff after Manoj Pande

As term of Manoj Pande nears end, the Centre has appointed Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, presently serving as Vice Chief, as the next Chief of the Army Staff with effect from the afternoon of June 30, 2024.

"The command appointments of Lt Gen Dwivedi include Command of Regiment (18 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles), Brigade (26 Sector Assam Rifles), DIG, Assam Rifles (East) and 9 Corps," the official statement of Defence Ministry noted. The newly-appointed Chief has been rewarded with with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and three GOC-in-C Commendation Cards.

Read More: Who is Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, the next Chief of Army Staff after Manoj Pande

About India's new Army Chief:
Born on July 1, 1964, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi was commissioned into the Infantry (Jammu & Kashmir Rifles) of the Indian Army on December 15, 1984. With his career spanning near four decades, he has served in a variety of Command, Staff, Instructional and Foreign appointments.

Currently serving as the Vice Chief of Army Staff, Dwivedi has taken important appointments including that of Director General Infantry and General Officer Commanding in Chief (Headquarter Northern Command) from 2022-2024, before getting appointed as the Vice Chief.

An alumnus of the Sainik School Rewa, National Defence College and US Army War College, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi has also undergone courses at the DSSC Wellington and Army War College, Mhow. In addition, the officer was conferred 'Distinguished Fellow' in the coveted NDC equivalent course at USAWC, Carlisle, USA. The officer has an M Phil in Defence & Management Studies and two Master's Degrees in Strategic Studies and Military Science.

Manoj Pande's tenure to end soon:
The present Chief of the Army Staff, General Manoj C Pande, PVSM, AVSM, VSM demits office on June 30. The term of Chief Pande was extended in a rare move by a month due to ongoing Lok Sabha polls in the country. Gen Pande was to retire from service on May 31. The extension to Gen Pande came nearly five decades after the then Indira Gandhi-led government extended the tenure of Army Chief Gen G G Bewoor by one year in early 1970s in first such instance.