Gen Chauhan Retires as Chief of Defence Staff
Gen Chauhan’s tenure was to end on September 30 last year, but he was given an extension
New Delhi: Gen Anil Chauhan on Saturday superannuated as Chief of Defence Staff after a three-year-and-eight-month stint in the country’s top military post, during which he focused on improving synergy among the three services. Lt Gen N.S. Raja Subramani (retd) will take charge as India’s next Chief of Defence Staff on Sunday.
“I had a very satisfying and excellent tenure,” the outgoing CDS said after he was accorded a ceremonial tri-services guard of honour.
Gen Chauhan, a former Eastern Army Commander, took charge as the country’s senior-most military commander in September 2022, more than nine months after India’s first CDS, Gen. Bipin Rawat, died in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu.
As Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Chauhan played a key role in the planning and implementation of Operation Sindoor along with the three service chiefs.
Last month, he submitted a formal proposal to the defence ministry on the formation of theatre commands after years of deliberations with the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
“It is a matter of great honour for me to superannuate with a tri-services guard of honour. I thank the three services and Headquarters IDS (Integrated Defence Staff) for it. With the conclusion of the guard of honour, I bid farewell to my colleagues in uniform, comrades in arms,” Gen Chauhan said.
“I just laid a wreath at the War Memorial for the last time in uniform, as a humble tribute to those who laid down their lives in the line of duty. After the wreath-laying, I was welcomed by friends, relatives and well-wishers. This is symbolic of my transition from uniform to civilian life,” he said.
Gen Chauhan’s tenure was to end on September 30 last year, but he was given an extension. He had retired from service in May 2021 in the rank of lieutenant general, but assumed the rank of a four-star general after taking charge as India’s second Chief of Defence Staff.
Born on May 18, 1961, Gen Chauhan was commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army in 1981. In his distinguished career, he held several command, staff and instructional appointments and had extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and Northeast India.
He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, and the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.
As a Major General, he commanded an Infantry Division in the critical Baramulla sector under the Northern Command. He later commanded a corps in the Northeast and subsequently became the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command.