Lt Gen Anil Chauhan retires; Lt Gen Manoj Pande to take over as GOC-in-C today
Kohima, May 31 (MExN): After 40 years of service in the Indian Army, Lieutenant General Anil Chauhan retired today as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of Eastern Command.
Lt Gen Manoj Pande, the 15th Commander-in-Chief of Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) will assumed the charge of the India's crucial Eastern Army Command on June 1, an official defence release informed.
Lt Gen Chauhan was given a guard of honour at Fort William, Kolkata on his superannuation day.
Prior to taking over helms of Eastern Command on September 1, 2019 from Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane who moved to Delhi as the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Chauhan was the Director General of Military Operations in New Delhi.
As Director General of Military Operations, the General Officer was the main architect of ‘Op Sunrise’ under which coordinated operations were conducted by Indian and Myanmar armies against armed groups operating near the border, informed the release from Lt Col Sumit K Sharma, PRO (Def) Kohima.
Under his stewardship, the Eastern Army also demonstrated its prowess to safeguard national interests along the Indo-China Border, it said.
He was also involved in planning of the Balakot Surgical Strikes including post-strike management of the escalation along Indo-Pakistan Border, it added.
Lt Gen Chauhan was honoured with Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal for his service to the nation.
Meanwhile, in an another statement, the PRO (Def) Kohima informed that Lt Gen Pande relinquished his command of CINCAN on May 31, following his appointment GOC-in-C of Eastern Command with effect from June 1.
Under the General Officer’s command, during this last one year, the command has significantly enhanced the operational preparedness and successfully conducted a number of major Tri-Service operational exercises, BrahMos missile firing and joint exercises with foreign Navies, it added.
