Article Posted on : - Feb 01, 2022

New Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Manoj Pande arrives to receive a guard of honour at South Block lawn in New Delhi, Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022. A PTI Photo

NEW DELHI (PTI):  Lt Gen Manoj Pande on Tuesday took charge as the new Vice Chief of the Indian Army, succeeding Lt Gen C P Mohanty.

Lt Gen Pande was serving as the Eastern Army Commander before assuming the new role.

Lt Gen RP Kalita has been appointed as the new chief of Kolkata-headquartered Eastern Army Command that takes care of guarding the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh sectors.

Lt Gen Pande was commissioned in the Bombay Sappers in December 1982. In his distinguished career, he has held several prestigious command and staff assignments in conventional as well as counter-insurgency operations in all types of terrain.

He commanded an engineer regiment along the Line of Control (LoC) during operation Parakram in Jammu and Kashmir, an engineer brigade in the western sector, an infantry brigade along the LoC and a mountain division in high altitude area of western Ladakh and a Corps in the North East.

The General Officer has served as chief engineer in the UN mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea. He was Commander-in-Chief Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) from June 2020 to May 2021.

For his illustrious service, he has been conferred with the award of Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, the Chief of Army Staff Commendation and twice with GOC-in-C Commendation.

Lt Gen Pande will be the senior-most Army commander when Army Chief Gen MM Naravane retires from service in April. As per convention, the senior-most Army Commander becomes the Army Chief.

After assuming charge as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen Pande paid homage to the fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial.

Lt Gen Mohanty retired from service on Monday.