Lt Gen AK Bhatt takes over as the Corps Commander of Chinar Corps from Lt Gen JS Sandhu. Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 1

Lt Gen AK Bhatt has taken over as the 47th Corps Commander of the Army’s Srinagar-based sensitive and strategic 15 Corps, also called the Chinar Corps, an Army spokesman said.Today, Lt General Bhatt took over from Lt Gen JS Sandhu, who was given a befitting farewell at the Badami Bagh Cantonment here. Lt General Sandhu is proceeding to New Delhi to assume charge of the Military Secretary, the Srinagar-based Army spokesman said.Before taking over as the Chinar Corps chief, Lt General Bhatt was the Director General of Military Operations and was in charge of all Army operations, including on the Line of Control.The Army spokesman said that Lt Gen AK Bhatt was commissioned into the 9th Gorkha Rifles (Chindits) and has had an illustrious military career spanning 36 years during which he has held varied prestigious command, staff and instructional appointments.“The General Officer Commanding has an incisive understanding of J&K as he has served here thrice before,” the spokesman said.A graduate of Staff College, Camberley, UK, Lt General Bhatt has also held several appointments at the Army Headquarters and had an instructional appointment at Commando School, Belgaum. The General Officer Commanding of the 15 Corps has also represented the country as the Deputy Force Provost Marshal in Lebanon.On assuming charge, Lt General Bhatt conveyed his greetings to the ‘awaam’ of Kashmir and the entire Chinar Corps fraternity.Lt General Sandhu’s tenure will be defined by the successful execution of ‘Operation All-Out’ launched by the security forces in the Valley. During the operation, a large number of militants were eliminated in the Valley.