• Source:JND
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India on Wednesday appointed Lieutenant General Anil Chauhan (retired) as the new Chief of Defence Staff. Lt Anil Chauhan is only the second CDS of India and he will also function as Secretary, Department of Military Affairs. Lt Gen Chauhan (retd) succeeds the first CDS, former Army chief, Gen Bipin Rawat who had died in a helicopter crash on December 8 last year. This is the first time that a retired officer has been appointed to this position for which a gazette notification was issued to announce the change in rules for the appointment.

Who Is Lt General Anil Chauhan (Retired), New CDS of India?

Lt General Anil Chauhan has a career spanning nearly 40 years, in which he had held several command, staff and instrumental appointments and had extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu & Kashmir and North-East India.

Commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army in 1981, Lt General Anil Chauhan is born on 18th May 1961 and retired from service in 2021. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.

In the rank of Maj General, the officer had commanded an Infantry Division in the critical Baramula sector in the Northern Command. Later as Lt General, he commanded a corps in the North East and subsequently went to become the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command from September 2019 and held the charge until his retirement in May 2021.

In addition to these command appointments, the officer also tenanted important staff appointments including the charge of Director General of Military Operations and served as a United Nations mission to Angola. He also superannuated from the Indian Army on 31 May 2021.

For his illustrious service in the Army, Lt General Anil Chauhan (retired) has been awarded Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal.