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This article was first published 12 years ago

Bikram Singh has his task cut out as new army chief

Last updated on: May 31, 2012 18:43 IST

Image: Outgoing army chief General V K Singh hands over the baton to General Bikram Singh
Photographs: Coutesy: mod.nic.in

Gen Bikram Singh, a veteran infantry officer, on Thursday took over as the 25th Chief of the Indian Army succeeding Gen V K Singh whose 26-month tenure was mired in controversies.

Fifty-nine-year-old Gen Bikram Singh will have a tenure of two years and three months in the top post. Prior to his appointment as army chief, Gen Bikram was commanding the Kolkata-based Eastern Army Command.

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Bikram Singh has his task cut out as new army chief

Image: General Bikram Singh assumes office as the new chief of army staff
Photographs: Coutesy: mod.nic.in

He has held several important appointments in counter insurgency areas as the Corps Commander of Srinagar-based 15 Corps and Akhnoor-based 10 Division as Major General.

The officer, better known as 'Bikki' to his friends, was commissioned into the Sikh Light Infantry regiment on March 31, 1972 after attending the prestigious Indian Military Academy.

At the IMA, he held the appointment of battalion cadet adjutant and was awarded the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles gold medal for 'tactics and leadership' and the Shriganesh Trophy.

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Bikram Singh has his task cut out as new army chief

Image: Defence Minister A K Antony congratulates General Bikram Singh
Photographs: Coutesy: mod.nic.in

He was awarded the 'Commando Dagger' and the 'Best in Tactics' trophy during his young officers' course at Infantry School.

He also served as an instructor at the Commando Wing of the Infantry School in Belgaum.

The officer was the face of the army during the Kargil war when he was serving in the Military Operations Directorate in New Delhi and used to brief the media about the progress in operations to drive out enemy troops from Indian territory.

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Bikram Singh has his task cut out as new army chief

Image: General Bikram Singh with wife Surjeet Kaur
Photographs: Coutesy: mod.nic.in

As a brigadier, Singh attended the United States Army War College in Pennsylvania and has served in two assignments with the United Nations in Central America and as the deputy force commander and GOC of Eastern Division in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Gen Bikram Singh is married to Surjeet Kaur and the couple has two children.

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