3 new Commanders to take charge

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 29

Changes at the apex level in the Army are in the offing with the imminent retirement of several top commanders and some other officers completing their tenures. Lt General Rajan Bakshi, General Officer commanding-in-Chief, Central Command, is hanging up his boots on Monday and the slot is expected to be filled by Lt General BS Negi.

An infantry officer of 1978 seniority, Lt General Negi had earlier commanded the Leh-based 14 Corps that is responsible for the Siachen Glacier and the Line of Actual Control with China.

He moved as Commandant of the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun in August. The names of two Lt Generals are doing the rounds for being posted as the IMA Chief.

Lt General Bipin Rawat, also an infantry officer of 1978 seniority who is presently heading 3 Corps at Dimapur in the East, is tipped to take over the reins of the Southern Command at Pune, while Lt General Sarath Chand, an officer of 1979 seniority who is the GOC 4 Corps, is tipped to take over South Western Command at Jaipur when the respective incumbent commanders retire shortly.

Lt General Ashok Ambre has been appointed as the GOC of 9 Corps based at Yol under the control of the Western Command.

He relieves Lt General Rajeev Tiwari, who has been posted as the GOC Bengal Area at Kolkata. Lt General Amarjit Singh, GOC of the Ambala-based 2 Corps is also completing his tenure and is expected to move to Army Headquarters as a Principal Staff Officer. An officer from the Mechanised Infantry is tipped to take over 2 Corps.

Three top officers — Lt General KJ Singh, GOC-in-C, Western Command, Lt General DS Hooda, GOC-in-C, Northern Command Command, and Lt General MMS Rai, Vice Chief of Army Staff — would retire in the latter half of next year.

Already some names of prospective officers who could be elevated as Army Commanders to fill these appointments are doing the rounds in the military establishment.