Pranav Kulkarni : Thu Jul 26 2012, 00:44 hrs
In a significant development, Lt Gen A K Singh, currently the Corps Commander of Army’s prestigious Mathura-based 1 Corps, is likely to take over as the Commandant of the National Defence Academy (NDA) in the first week of August. Sources said he is likely to hold the office of the commandant till March 2013. Singh’s appointment is being considered one of the most high-profile Army appointments in the academy given that the office of the commandant is a staff appointment and it has not been headed by an officer who has commanded an operational formation of the level of a Corps. One of the principal offensive formations of the Indian Army, commanding 1 Corps is considered one of the most prestigious appointments of the Indian Army.
“Lt Gen A K Singh is likely to take over in the first week of August,” said an NDA official as another official confirmed the development. The appointment of the NDA commandant is currently being officiated by the deputy commandant Rear Admiral Anand Iyer after the former commandant Lt Gen Jatinder Singh was transferred post the CBI raids in connection with an alleged recruitment scam at the academy.
Lt Gen Jatinder Singh was supposed to retire in October-November. His early exit gave rise to speculation as to whether the new commandant would be an Army officer or an Air Force officer given that it is the IAF’s turn to send the commandant.
The logical promotion for a Corps commander is to be made an Army Commander. With the present Southern Army Commander likely to retire next year, in all likelihood, Lt Gen A K Singh after having held the office of the NDA commandant might become the GOC-in-C of the Southern Command.
“The Army sending a ‘high-profile’ officer as the commandant of the NDA is in itself a positive development. It will be good for the academy given that a general who has commanded an operational formation, that too 1 Corps, is bound to put things in the correct perspective at the academy,” said a retired officer.
NDA spokesperson refused to comment.
Strike corps commander is new NDA chief
In a significant development, Lt Gen A K Singh, currently the Corps Commander of Army’s prestigious Mathura-based 1 Corps, is likely to take over as the Commandant of the National Defence Academy (NDA) in the first week of August. Sources said he is likely to hold the office of the commandant till March 2013. Singh’s appointment is being considered one of the most high-profile Army appointments in the academy given that the office of the commandant is a staff appointment and it has not been headed by an officer who has commanded an operational formation of the level of a Corps. One of the principal offensive formations of the Indian Army, commanding 1 Corps is considered one of the most prestigious appointments of the Indian Army.
“Lt Gen A K Singh is likely to take over in the first week of August,” said an NDA official as another official confirmed the development. The appointment of the NDA commandant is currently being officiated by the deputy commandant Rear Admiral Anand Iyer after the former commandant Lt Gen Jatinder Singh was transferred post the CBI raids in connection with an alleged recruitment scam at the academy.
Lt Gen Jatinder Singh was supposed to retire in October-November. His early exit gave rise to speculation as to whether the new commandant would be an Army officer or an Air Force officer given that it is the IAF’s turn to send the commandant.
The logical promotion for a Corps commander is to be made an Army Commander. With the present Southern Army Commander likely to retire next year, in all likelihood, Lt Gen A K Singh after having held the office of the NDA commandant might become the GOC-in-C of the Southern Command.
“The Army sending a ‘high-profile’ officer as the commandant of the NDA is in itself a positive development. It will be good for the academy given that a general who has commanded an operational formation, that too 1 Corps, is bound to put things in the correct perspective at the academy,” said a retired officer.
NDA spokesperson refused to comment.
Strike corps commander is new NDA chief
No comments:
Post a Comment