Northern and Eastern Commands of Indian Army get new Chiefs

New Delhi: The China facing Northern and Eastern Commands of Indian Army got their new Chiefs today on February 01, 2022. Lieutenant General Rana Pratap Kalita has taken over as the new Eastern Army Commander, succeeding Lt Gen Manoj Pande, who became the Vice Chief of the Army Staff today, while Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi took charge of the new General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the strategic Northern Army Command.

General Kalita was commissioned in 9 KUMAON in 1984 and in his illustrious military career of 37 years he has performed several major tasks in Jammu & Kashmir, the Northeast and Sri Lanka including Operation PAWAN in Sri Lanka, Operation PARAKRAM & Operation RAKSHAK in Jammu & Kashmir, Operation BAJRANG & Operation RHINO in Assam, Operation ORCHID in Nagaland and Operation HIFAZAT in Manipur. He commanded a Rashtriya Rifles Battalion in Kashmir, a Mountain Brigade and an Infantry Division actively committed to Counter Insurgency Operations in Jammu & Kashmir and a strategically important Corps in the North East. The General Officer served twice in the United Nations as a Military Observer in Sierra Leone and Chief Operations Officer in Sudan.

General Kalita has been conferred with the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishist Seva Medal, Sena Medal, Vishist Seva Medal, Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card & GOC-in-C Easter Command Commendation Card.

Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi has taken charge of the strategic Northern Army Command amid Operation Snow Leopard still continuing along the Line of Actual Control. The operation was launched in the year 2020 by the Indian Army to strategically occupy important heights in the South bank of Pangong Tso in Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control.

An alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa and National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Lt Gen Dwivedi, AVSM was commissioned into the 18th Battalion The Jammu & Kashmir Rifles on 15 Dec 1984. He has a rare privilege of commanding a newly raised Assam Rifles Sector along the Indo Myanmar Border when the insurgency in Manipur was at its peak and has also the honour of commanding the prestigious Rising Star Corps. He has been awarded GOC-in-C Commendation Card thrice, namely the Northern, Eastern and Southern Commands.

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