THE OFFICER HAS COMMANDED A MECHANISED INFANTRY BATTALION, AN ARMOURED BRIGADE AND AN INFANTRY DIVISION

CHANDIGARH: Lieutenant General Surinder Singh, who is heading 33 Corps in Sukna, was named as the Western Command chief on Tuesday.

Lt Gen Surinder Singh was commissioned in the infantry in Brigade of The Guards Regiment in 1979. In a career spanning over three decades, the officer has held various prestigious appointments and has commanded a mechanised infantry battalion, an armoured brigade and an infantry division.

Lt Gen KJ Singh retired as Western Command chief on July 31.

There were two officers in the race for the Western Command chief — Lt Gen Surinder Singh and Lt Gen DR Soni, who is GOC of Bathinda-based 10 Corps. Lt Gen Soni has been appointed as the commander of Army Training Command (ARTRAC) at Shimla. The current ARTRAC commander, Lt Gen PM Hariz, has been appointed as Southern Command chief.

The outgoing Southern Command chief Lt Gen Bipin Rawat is joining as vice chief of the army staff. The present vice chief Lt Gen MMS Rai is retiring on August 31.