General Manoj Mukund Naravane Takes Charge As 28th Chief Of Army Staff

Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane on Tuesday took charge as the Chief of Army Staff, succeeding Gen Bipin Rawat. Gen Naravane served as vice chief of the Army before taking charge of the 1.3 million strong Army. In his 37 years of service, Gen Naravane served in numerous command and staff appointments in peace, field and highly active counter-insurgency environments in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast.

He also commanded a Rashtriya Rifles battalion in Jammu and Kashmir and an infantry brigade on the eastern front. Before appointed as vice chief of the Army, Gen Naravane was heading the Army’s Eastern Command that takes care of India’s nearly 4,000-km border with China.

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Naravane commanded a Rashtriya Rifles Battalion in Jammu and Kashmir and an infantry brigade on the eastern front. He was also part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka and had served as India's defence attache at the Indian Embassy in Myanmar for three years.

Lt Gen Naravane is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy. He was commissioned into the 7th battalion, the Sikh Light Infantry Regiment in June 1980. The General is a decorated officer who has been awarded the 'Sena Medal' (Distinguished) for effectively commanding his battalion in Jammu and Kashmir.

He is also a recipient of the 'Vishisht Seva Medal' for his services as the Inspector General Assam Rifles (North) in Nagaland and the 'Ati Vishisht Seva Medal' for commanding of a prestigious strike corps.