SRINAGAR (PTI): Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai on Thursday took over as the new General Officer Commanding of the Army's strategic Srinagar-based Chinar Corps which looks after the Line of Control besides anti-terrorism operations in the Kashmir Valley.

He took over from Lt Gen ADS Aujla who relinquished the command on Wednesday.

After assuming the command, Lt Gen Ghai laid a wreath at the Chinar War Memorial and paid homage to the soldiers who died in the line of duty.

He reiterated his commitment to closely work with the civil administration and society to further peace and prosperity in Kashmir.

In his message to all ranks of the Chinar Corps, Lt Gen Ghai exhorted them to continue to work with unflinching dedication and encouraged them to take additional steps to connect with citizens.

Lt Gen Ghai, an alumnus of the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, was commissioned in December 1989 into the Kumaon Regiment and has had an illustrious military career spanning 33 years.

As Colonel General Staff, he served in the division deployed for counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and was a brigadier at the Military Operations Directorate in the Army Headquarters.

He has commanded a battalion in the Western Sector followed by command of a brigade and a division on the Northern Borders. He is a postgraduate from Defence Services Staff College, Wellington (Tamil Nadu), Higher Command Course, Army War College, Mhow and National Defence College, New Delhi.