Lt. Gen Manoj Pande Appointed Next Army Chief of India 2022

Next Army Chief of India 2022

The Government of India has appointed Lieutenant General Manoj Pande as the next Chief of Army Staff. He will be succeeding General MM Narvane who is set to complete his tenure on 30th April 2022. Lieutenant General Manoj Pande will be the 29th Chief of Army Staff and is the first officer from the corps of Engineer to be appointed to this rank.

Lt. Gen Manoj Pande

Earlier in february this year, he had taken over as a Vice Chief of Army Staff. An alumunus of National Defence Academy, he was commissioned in 1982 in the corps of Engineers. In his 39 years of distinguished Military Service, he has commanded over crucial operations conducted in some challenging areas of Line of Control and Line of Actual Control. Notably, he commanded the 117th Engineering Regiment during Operation Parakram in the sensitive Pallanwala sector in Jammu and Kashmir.

On the International front, the General Officer served as Chief Engineer in the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea. For his illustrous service he has been confirmed with several Gallantry Awards like Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, the Chief of Army Staff Commendation and twice with GOC-in-C Commendation.

About Lt. Gen Manoj Pande

A graduate of National Defense Academy, the General Officer was authorized into the Corps of Engineers (The Bombay Sappers) in December 1982. He is an alum of Staff College, Camberley (United Kingdom) and went to the Higher Command Course at Army War College, Mhow and National Defense College (NDC) at Delhi. 

Lt. Gen Manoj Pande: Journey

During his 39 years of recognized assistance, the General Officer has taken dynamic part in Operation Vijay and Parakram. He instructed an Engineer Regiment along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, an Engineer Brigade as a feature of the Strike Corps, an Infantry Brigade along the Line of Control, a Mountain Division in High Altitude Area of Western Ladakh and a Corps conveyed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as additionally in Counter Insurgency Operations zone in the North East. He has rented significant staff assignments and was posted as Chief Engineer at the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea. He was Director-General at Army Headquarters managing subjects of Discipline, Ceremonial and Welfare, preceding expecting the current arrangement. 

In the meantime Lieutenant General Podali Shankar Rajeshwar PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC, the fourteenth Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) resigned from the administration on 31st May 2020. He left a brilliant inheritance and numerous achievements in his recognized profession spreading over four decades. He had assumed control over the arrangement on 01 Dec 19. 

During his residency as CINCAN, Lieutenant General Rajeshwar concentrated on improving the operational readiness of ANC. The 29th version of the Indo-Thai Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) was effectively led from the thirteenth to 21st February 2020 during his Command. 

Under Lieutenant General Rajeshwar’s bearings, the staff and resources of the Command effectively organized and cooperated with the Andaman and Nicobar Administration in managing the Corona pandemic and giving aid to the masses over the length and expansiveness of the islands. 

For his recognized service, Lieutenant General Rajeshwar had been granted the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) on 26th January 2020 and designated as an Honorary Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the President of India in November 2019.