Key Army appointments to three senior posts - Lt Gen S Gupta is New Deputy Chief
Three senior Army Officers have taken over key appointments at the Army HQ, here today.
Lt Gen Susheel Gupta is the new Deputy Chief (Information System & Training), while Lt Gen BS Dhaliwal and Lt Gen Sudhir Sharma assumed the appointments of Engineer-in-Chief and Quarter Master General, respectively.
Lt Gen Susheel Gupta was commissioned in The Jammu and Kashmir Rifles Regiment in Dec 1967. An alumni the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy, he participated in the 1971 Indo Pak War in the Western Theatre and in Counter Insurgency Operations in the North East. Having commanded a Unit and a Brigade in mountains and high altitude areas, the General Officer has vast experience of operations in mountains and in active areas along the Line of Control. He has participated in operations in Sri Lanka and has been The Chief Military Personnel Officer at the United Nations Mission in Iraq -Kuwait.
The General Officer is a graduate from the Defence Services Staff College, qualified in Higher Command Course, attended National Defence College and M Phil in Management and Defence Studies from the Indore University. He has held instructional appointments at the Infantry School and the Army War College, Mhow.
The General Officer has held various staff appointments at an active Brigade, Division, Corps in an active High Altitude Area and in Military Operations Directorate at Army Headquarters. He was awarded 'Yudh Seva Medal' for his services in Sri Lanka and 'Ati Vishist Seva Medal' for distinguished service whilst commanding his Brigade in high altitude area on The Line of Control.
The General Officer commanded a Division in deserts and was posted as the Additional Military Secretary at the Army Headquarters, New Delhi before taking over as GOC of a prestigious Strike Corps of the Indian Army. He is also the Colonel of The Jammu and Kashmir Rifles and The Ladakh Scouts Regiments.
He replaces Lt Gen Mohinder Puri, who has retired on 30 April 2006.
Lt Gen BS Dhaliwal who has taken over as Engineer – in- chief at the Army Headquarters has replaced Lt Gen Ranjith Singh who retired on 30 April 2006.
An alumnus of National Defence Academy, Pune, the General was commissioned into the Corps of Engineers on 25 Dec 1966. He received the “Silver Grenade” as the best Young Officer in the very first Course i.e. Young officers Course.
He holds a Bachelors degree in Engineering and Masters Degree in Human Rights from the Institute of Human Rights, New Delhi and has done a course on Disaster Management from IGNOU. He is also an alumni of the National Defence College, New Delhi. The General Officer is a member of a large number of professional societies namely – Institution of Engineers, Indian Building Congress, Indian Road Congress, Institution of Bridge Engineers and Indian Council of Arbitration.
The General has a rich experience in all the three major streams viz Combat, Works and Border Roads Organisation. As a young Major, he was selected to be Advisor cum Instructor at the Indian Army Training Team, Botswana. As a Brigadier, he was Chief Engineer, Project Beacon (in J&K State) during the peak of militancy and thereafter Chief Engineer, Bathinda Zone where he was awarded “Vishist Seva Medal” for his distinguished service of high order. On promotion to Major General he was appointed Chief Engineer Southern Command during Op PARAKRAM. He also streamlined functioning of the MES and brought about a saving of over Rs 60 crore in electricity tariff, in recognition of his services of an exceptional order, he was awarded “Ati Vishist Seva Medal”.
Besides being a professional soldier, the General is a keen sportsman who has excelled in rowing, is a qualified deep sea diver and a keen rider. He is also the President of National Optimist Association of India (Yachting) and Vice President of Rowing Federation of India.
In another appointment, Lt Gen Sudhir Sharma has also taken over as Quarter Master General. He has replaced Lt Gen AS Bahia who retired on 30 April 2006.
Commissioned in June 1968 in elite Regiment of The Guards, Gen Sudhir Shanna has a distinguished and brilliant career spanning 36 years behind him.
After tenure with the Indian Military Training Team in Bhutan, he went on to graduate from the prestigious Staff College in the United Kingdom. He later served as Brigade Major of the Poonch Brigade in 1984 -85. Having successfully commanded 16 GUARDS in OP PAWAN and Samba, the General officer went on to serve as an Instructor at the prestigious Defence Services Staff College in Wellington.
On promotion to flag rank, he commanded an Infantry Brigade in the Western Theatre and served as Brigadier General Staff of a Corps in the North East. Thereafter he was appointed as the Military Advisor of India in our High Commission in London, UK, where his excellent performance earned him a Vishisht Seva Medal.
During Op PARAKRAM, he commanded the crucially important Infantry Division at Akhnoor, where due to his creditable performance and leadership, he was awarded the 'Yudh Seva Medal'. The General officer also held the important appointment of Additional Director General Complaints Advisory Board in the COAS Secretariat, Army HQ and in true recognition for exemplary service rendered during this tenure, he was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal on 26 Jan 2005. Thereafter the General commanded prestigious White Knight Corps in Northern Theatre. The General has considerable experience of Counter Insurgency Operations and has served in J&K thrice.
SKS/VKJ/RKJ
(Release ID :17388)