Lt General Upendra Dwivedi appointed India's next Chief of Army Staff, to assume role on June 30

The Central government on June 11 announced Lt General Upendra Dwivedi as the next Chief of the Army Staff (COAS).

According to a statement issued by the Defence Ministry, Lt Gen Dwivedi will take charge from the current Army chief General Manoj Pande, on June 30.

The statement said that Lt Gen Dwivedi will take over after stints as Vice Chief of Army Staff, Northern Army Commander, DG Infantry and many other command appointments in the force.

Dwivedi is an alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa. He was commissioned into the 18 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in 1984. 

With a military career spanning over 39 years, Lt Gen Dwivedi served in both the Northern and Western theatres of India and was appointed as deputy chief at Army Headquarters. He headed the 9th Corps in Himachal Pradesh and was also Director-General of Infantry.