The appointments of the new Vice Chief of Army Staff, General Officers Commanding (Army Commanders) of Chandimandir based Western Command, Pune based Southern Command, Training Command and Corps of Signals have been announced.

Vice Chief of Army Staff

Lt Gen Milan Lalitkumar Naidu, presently Army Commander of Army’s Shimla based Training Command is to be the next Vice Chief of Indian Army. He will take over from Lt Gen Deepak Kapoor, who is to be the next Army Chief from 01 Oct 2007.

Lieutenant General Naidu had his early education at St Joseph’s Convent, Bhopal, and to continue his family tradition, joined the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, where he excelled in marksmanship (shooting).

Commissioned in the Rajput Regiment in Dec 1967, he has had a long and chequered career having served in all sectors and terrain in India and abroad. As Commanding Officer of 5 Rajput he participated in Op PAWAN in Sri Lanka where he was awarded the Yudh Seva Medal. He has the experience of Commanding a Brigade in the semi desert terrain, a Division in the Plains of Punjab during Op PARAKRAM and a Corps in the High Altitude and Glaciated area.

Selected to attend the Defence Services Staff College Course in Canada, Lt Gen Naidu has also attended the Higher Command Course at the Army War College. He also holds a Post Graduate in Environmental and Ecological Sciences.

Lt Gen Naidu’s forte has been in the field on instruction. Having trained cadets and young officers at the Indian Military Academy and the Infantry School, he has also had the distinction of being the Commandant of Indian Army’s premier officers’ training establishment for combat – The Army War College.

Lt Gen Naidu has had varied operational staff experience at all levels including a stint at the Military Operations Directorate at Army HQs. He was also the Defence Attaché in Germany.

He is a keen sportsman and formed part of the Services team in the National Skeet Shooting Championship in 1968. He still plays golf, tennis and cricket. His leisure hours are devoted to angling, trekking, reading, photography and music.

Lt Gen Naidu is also the recipient of Ati Vishist Seva Medal for distinguished services.

Lt Gen Naidu is married to Mrs Neeharika who is an daughter of Lt Col Awasthy, a veteran of World War II and 1962 Operations.

General Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Command

Lt Gen Tej Kumar Sapru is to be the next General Officer Commanding in Chief (Army Commander) of the Chandimandir (near Chandigarh) based Wesern Command. Lt Gen Sapru who is presently commanding a Corps in terrorism-affected region of J&K, is to replace Lt Gen Daljeet Singh who retires on 31 October 2007. The operational responsibility of the Western Command encompasses the extremely important plains region along the Indo Pak borders.

Lt Gen Sapru, was born at Srinagar (J&K). He had his early education at Punjab Public School, Nabha. He joined the National Defence Academy, Kharakwasla and was commissioned in the Indian Army, in the infantry (The First Battalion of Fourth Gorkha Rifles) in June 1969. He is one of the few officers who witnessed action both on the Western Front and in the erstwhile East Pakistan during the 1971 war with Pakistan.

Lt Gen Sapru has held various prestigious Instructional, Staff and Command appointments. He was Assistant Military and Air Attaché in the Embassy of India in Nepal, Kathmandu. His other staff assignment include the General Staff Officer in Directorate General of Military Operations, Army Headquarters, Colonel General Staff in an active Division in J&K, Deputy Military Secretary in Military Secretary Branch and Additional Director General (Procurement) Master General of Ordinance Branch. He was also the Commander of the Junior Leaders’ Wing of the Infantry School at Belguam.

He is a graduate of the National Defence College, the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and has attended the Higher Command Course at the Army War College, Mhow. He has been awarded the Chief of Army Staff Commendation in 1985 and the Yudh Seva Medal for distinguished service in active operations in 1999.

Lt Gen Sapru has a varied command experience at various levels. He commanded an Infantry Battalion in Intense Counter Insurgency Operations, an Infantry Brigade in the Punjab, and another brigade in J&K during Operation VIJAY (1999). He has commanded an active Infanty Division deployed on the Line of Control in J&K. Lt Gen TK Sapru, is presently commanding the 16 Corps, the largest Corps of the Army in J&K.

Army Commander, Southern Command

Lt Gen Noble Thamburaj, presently a Corps Commander in Punjab is to be the next Army Commander of Pune based Southern Command. He takes over from Lt Gen Aditya Singh who is retiring 30 Sep 2007. Lt Gen Thamburaj is from the Corps of Engineers.

Lt Gen Thamburaj had his early education at King George’s Military School, Chail and Sainik Schools Amravati and Jamnagar. An alumni of National Defence Academy, he was commissioned into Corps of Engineers (Bombay Sappers) in 1969.

He is also an alumni of Defence Service Staff College Wellington. Lt Gen Thamburaj was also nominated for the Higher Command and NDC Courses. He has an M Tech from IIT Delhi and M Phil (Def Studies) from Indore University.

Lt Gen Thamburaj holds the unique distinction of being the only Sappers Officer to command a Rashtriya Rifle Sector during Op Vijay and an infantry Division during Op Parakram. A qualified paratrooper, he was also an instructor at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and Officers Training Academy, Chennai.

Lt Gen Thamburaj is recipient of Sena Medal and Chief of the Army Staff Commendation Card, twice in his distinguished career. He has seen action in Indo Pak war of 1971, counter terrorism in J&K and six tenures in counter terrorism in the North East.

Lt Gen Thamburaj belongs to the Vellore, Tamil Nadu. He is married to Mrs. Anita Thamburaj.

General Officer Commanding in Chief , Army Training Command

Lt Gen JK Mohanty, presently Commandant of Mhow (MP) based Army War College has been appointed as the General Officer Commanding in Chief (Army Commander) of Shimla based Army Training Command. He is to replaced Lt Gen ML Naidu who moves to Army HQ as Vice Chief on 01 October 2007.

Lt Gen Mohanty was born in Balasore District of Orissa. He is an alumni of Sainik School, Bhubaneshwar. He joined the National Defence Academy, Kharakvasla and was commissioned to the Dogra Regiment in 1969.

Lt Gen Mohanty has been an instructor at Indian Military Team in Bhutan and commanded his battalion in high altitude and counter terrorism area in J&K, where his unit earned the three highest peace time gallantry awards of Ashok Chakra, Kirti Cahkra and Shaurya Chakra in a single operation. He himself was awarded a Sena Medal.

He is an alumni of College of Defence Management and National Defence College. He has commanded an infantry and mountain brigades. He has commanded an infantry division along the line of control, and later was Additional Military Secretary in Army HQ. He later commanded a Corps in high altitude region of J&K. He is also the recipient of Vishisht Seva and Uttam Yudh Seva Medals.

Colonel Commandant of the Corps of Signals

Maj Gen P Mohapatra is to be the next Colonel Commandant of the Corps of Signals. He takes over this appointment on 01 September from Lt Gen A K Saini who is retiring from service.

Born in Mayurbhanj District of Orissa, Maj Gen Mohapatra had his early education at Sainik School, Bhubaneswar. He then joined the National Defence Academy for his pre commission training. Maj Gen Mohapatra was commissioned in 1971 and immediately thereafter he participated in the Indo–Pak war in the Northern Sector. He is also an alumnus of Defence Services Staff College and Higher Command Course at Army War College and has attended prestigious National Defence College. During the Higher Command Course he was awarded the Commandants Medal for the best research study.

Maj Gen Mohapatra has held a number of important appointments to include command of an Armoured Division Signal Regiment and Chief Signal Officer of a Strike Corps during Op PARAKRAM. He has operated in counter terrorism environment in J&K and Nagaland. He has also been on staff of Military Operations Directorate in the Army HQ. He is presently Additional Director General and Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Signal Intelligence).

A voracious reader, he was the Editor of Defence Technology Journal at the Army War College. As Colonel Commandant he will oversee various ceremonial and human resources aspects of Corps of Signals.