Lt Gen Bikram Singh Is India's Next Army Chief

Lt Gen Bikram Singh - Photo by Sitanshu Kar

March 03, 2012 by Shiv Aroor LIVEFIST

Putting to rest a measure of intrigue within the ranks, the media and even the establishment over who would command the Army next, India's Eastern Army Commander, Lt Gen Bikram Singh has been designated as the next Chief of Army Staff, in the rank of General, with effect from the afternoon of 31 May 2012. He will succeed the incumbent chief General VK Singh who retires from service, shortly after losing an unprecedented campaign against the civilian establishment over his date of borth. There had been plenty of speculation that the current Chief was unhappy with a "succession line" that had allegedly been set before his time that lined up Lt Gen Bikram Singh as Chief after him -- which is precisely how things have turned out.

Lt Gen Bikram Singh was commissioned into the Sikh Light Infantry Regiment on 31 March 1972. He has served in a variety of command and staff appointments, including commanding a Corps under the Northern Command. The General had served as Deputy Force Commander of a multi-nation UN Peace Keeping Mission in Congo. He had also served as UN Observer in Nicaragua and El Salvador during the early 90s.