NEW DELHI: General Bipin Rawat, who has been named as the first Chief of Defence Staff of the country, has had an illustrious and long career as an officer of the Indian Army. He took over as the 27th Chief of Army Staff about three years ago on December 31, 2016. Before being appointed as the Army chief, Gen Rawat was tenanting the appointment of the Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) of the Indian Army from September 01, 2016.
General Bipin Rawat, is an alumnus of St. Edward School, Shimla, and the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. He was was commissioned in the Fifth Battalion of the Eleven Gorkha Rifles in December 1978, from Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, where he was awarded the ‘Sword of Honour’.
The General has had experience in high altitude warfare, and counter-insurgency operations. He has commanded an Infantry battalion along the LAC in the Eastern Sector; a Rashtriya Rifles Sector and an Infantry Division in the Kashmir Valley, a Corps in the Eastern theatre and the Southern Command. He has also tenanted instructional appointments at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun and at Army War College, Mhow.
An alumni of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the Higher Command & National Defence College Courses, the General, during the span of over 38 years service in uniform, has been awarded for gallantry and distinguished service with the UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, COAS Commendation on two occasions and the Army Commander’s Commendation. The General Officer also attended the Command and General Staff College (CGSC) course at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, USA.
Academically inclined, he has authored numerous articles on ‘National Security’ and ‘Leadership’, which have been published in various journals and publications. He was awarded M. Phil in Defence Studies from Madras University. He has a Diploma in Management and another Diploma in Computer Studies. General Bipin Rawat has also completed his research on military media strategic studies and was awarded Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D) from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut in 2011.
With inputs from the Press Information Bureau.
Source: Economic Times
