Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 15: Lt Gen D S Hooda is likely to be appointed as new Army Commander of Northern Command in place of Lt Gen Sanjiv Chachra, who is retiring from the services after distinguished 40 years career in the Army on May 31.
Lt Gen Hooda, who had served as General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 16 Corps based at Nagrota, is expected to take charge as GOC-in-C Northern Command on June 1.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Defence Ministry has given the nod for appointment of Lt Gen Hooda as the new Northern Army Commander and an order to this effect was likely to be issued shortly.
The change of Government at the Centre won’t impact the new posting, which has already been cleared by the Defence Ministry as well as the Army Headquarters.
Lt Gen Chachra, who has held various important posts in his career in the Army including prestigious post of Northern Army Command, had taken over from Lt Gen KT Parnaik in April last year. He would retire from the services on May 31 while Lt Gen Hooda would take charge the next day.
Three Corps-14, headquartered at Leh, 15, headquartered in Srinagar and 16, headquartered at Nagrota, fall under the Northern Command.
Lt Gen K H Singh had sometimes back taken over as GOC of 16 Corps from Lt Gen Hooda.
Sources said Lt Gen Hooda has vast experience of dealing with militancy and situation on the Line of Control (LoC) as he has served as GOC 16 Corps for a long period.
“It was in view of his this experience that Lt Gen Hooda is being given the crucial task of heading the Northern Command,” sources said.
Meanwhile, Lt Gen Chachra, GOC-in-C Northern Command and Colonel of the Rajput Regiment today handed over the baton of Rajput Regiment Baton to Lt Gen Aniruddha Chakravarty, Director General of National Cadets Corps at an impressive ceremony held at The Rajput Regimental Centre, Fatehgarh.
Lt Gen Chachra, a second generation Rajput Regiment Officer was commissioned into 17th battalion, The Rajput Regiment and had taken over as the 14th Colonel of the Regiment on June 1, 2012.
His sustained efforts led to a significant improvement in the infrastructure, quality of life and the standard of training at the Regimental Centre and initiation of a number of initiatives for the welfare of veterans (ex-servicemen) and Veer Naris of the Regiment. Due to his leadership and motivation, all ranks of the Regiment always gave their best and an unprecedented number of units were awarded the coveted Chief of Army Staff unit appreciation.
Lt Gen Aniruddha Chakravarty, was commissioned into Third Battalion, The Rajput Regiment on December 15, 1976 and would be taking over as the 15th Colonel of The Rajput Regiment on June 1, 2014.
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