Who is Lt Gen Anil Chauhan (Retd)? Here's everything you need to know about the new Chief of Defence Staff of India

India's new CDS: On Wednesday, Lt Gen Anil Chauhan (retd),  a former eastern Army commander and director general of military operations, was appointed as India's new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). For more than nine months the post was vacant following the death of General Bipin Rawat.

This is happening for the first time that a retired officer is being appointed as the CDS. 

Lt Gen Anil Chauhan's life so far

Lt Gen Anil Chauhan was born on May 18, 1961.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA) , Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun,  Lt Gen Anil Chauhan was commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army in 1981.

In the rank of Maj General, the officer had commanded an Infantry Division in the critical Baramulla sector in the Northern Command.

Later as Lt General, he commanded a corps in the Northeast 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 from the service 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.
Earlier, the officer had also served as a United Nations mission to Angola.

Lt Gen Chauhan continued to contribute to national security and strategic matters even after his retirement as he has been associated with the National Security Council Secretariat.

In a career spanning over nearly 40 years, Lt Gen Anil Chauhan (retd) held several command, staff and instrumental appointments and had extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and Northeast India.

He retired from the service in May last year when he was serving as the eastern Army Commander.

Awards and laurels

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

Sixty-one-year-old Chauhan will also function as secretary, the Department of Military Affairs, with effect from the date of his assumption of charge, the defence ministry said.

(PTI inputs)