Lt. Gen Upendra Dwivedi takes over as 30th Chief of Indian Army

Srinagar, June 30: Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi today took over as the new Indian Army chief. He succeeded General Manoj Pande, the 29^th Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army.

He is the 30th Chief of the Army Staff of Indian Army. He was previously the Vice Chief of Indian Army and also commanded the Northern Army.

Lt. General Dwivedi is having vast operational experience in dealing with China and Pakistan.

Born on July 1, 1964, Gen Dwivedi is an alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and then the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He was commissioned into the 18th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles Regiment of the Indian Army on December 15, 1984, from the Indian Military Academy. He later commanded the same Battalion at Chowkibal in Kashmir Valley during Operation Rakshak and the deserts of Rajasthan.

As a Sector Commander, he commanded a Sector of the Assam Rifles in Manipur during Operation Rhino, served in Assam as Inspector General of Assam Rifles (East), and held various other Staff & Command appointments in the North East. He has had a unique distinction of balanced exposure to both Northern and Western Theatres in India.

As the Northern Army Commander, Gen Upendra Dwivedi provided strategic guidance and operational oversight for sustained operations along the northern and western borders. He restored normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir by providing strategic directions for the successful conduct of effective counter-terrorism operations that led to the emergence of a conducive environment for infrastructure and socio-economic developments as also the smooth conduct of the G20 in Srinagar.

Playing a significant role in modernising and equipping the largest Indian Army command, he oversaw the induction of indigenous equipment as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative.