General Deepak Kapoor is New Army Chief
General Deepak Kapoor, till recently the Vice Chief of the Army has taken over the reins of the Indian Army from General JJ Singh, who retired at mid-day today. The change over of the baton was solemnized in a simple ceremony in the Army Chief’s office, here today. This was preceded by a farewell guard of honor to General JJ Singh in the lawns of the South Block. Gen JJ Singh, also paid homage to the martyrs at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate.
General Deepak Kapoor, the 23rd Chief of the second largest Army in the world, brings with him vast and rich experiences in strategic thought; operational excellence and effective management of vast multi-technology and multi-disciplinary resources including vast financial and human capitals that the Indian Army employs.
An alumnus of Sainik School, Defence Services Staff College, the Army War College and the National Defence College, General Kapoor’s rise through the steep pyramidical hierarchy of the Army, to its very apex, has been a journey that saw him performing extra-ordinarily well in a large number of key prestigious appointments.
Commissioned in the Corps of Artillery in June 1967, as a young officer, General Kapoor participated in the war for liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. In addition, he has represented the country as the Chief Operations Officer for all United Nations Forces deployed in Somalia from 1994 to 1995, for which, he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in January 1996.
During his service as a Brigade Commander deployed on the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, the General was awarded the Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) in January 1998.
During OP PARAKRAM, General Kapoor commanded one of the most prestigious Divisions of a Strike Corps. He went on to command a Corps in the North East deployed along the Sino – Indian frontier. For his excellent command of the Corps, the General Officer was awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in January 2006. On promotion as Army Commander, he commended the Army Training Command at Shimla. Thereafter, he commanded the largest and the most sensitive command of the Indian Army i.e. the Northern Command from September 2005 to December 2006. As a result of his sustained efforts, both the violence levels and infiltration came down appreciably in the State of J&K. For his efforts, the General Officer was awarded Param Vishist Seva Medal in January 2007. His last appointment was that of the Vice Chief of Army Staff.
An avid reader, intellectual and strategic thinker as well as a keen sportsman, General Kapoor takes over the command of the Indian Army in the midst of shifting paradigms in national security challenges and at a time when the Indian Army has embarked upon a transformation process to incorporate cutting edge technologies to enhance and retain its competitive advantage.
The General Officer has an abiding interest in self-improvement and acquisition of knowledge, in pursuance of which he acquired Masters Degree in Political Science, Military Science and Business Administration
The General is married to Mrs Kirti , daughter of an army veteran, Brig KP Pande, who is a recipient of Maha Vir Chakra. Kapoors have two children- daughter and a son, both of whom are married.
SKS/SS
(Release ID :31552)