Lt Gen Hira appointed Deputy Chief of Indian Army

JAMMU: Chief of the Army's Northen Command, Lt Gen N P S Hira has been appointed as Deputy Chief of Army Staff and would assume office on March 14.

"Lt Gen N P S Hira, who is presently posted as Chief of Staff of Northern command at Udhampur, has been posted to Army Headquarters at Delhi to take over as Deputy Chief of Army Staff with effect from March 14," Defence spokesman, Col S D Goswami said.

He said the General was commissioned in the Sikh Light Infantry and has a rich experience of counter insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and in the northeast region, as well as conventional operations in Western command.

"He commanded the Battalion in Assam (Op Rhino) during high violence period. The unit bagged 32 gallantry awards and COAS citation under his command," Col Goswami said.

He later commanded 12 Infantry Brigade deployed on the Line of Control in Uri sector. The Brigade earned an Ashok Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra and many more gallantry awards during his command, Col Goswami said.

The General commanded the 10 Infantry Division in Jammu and Kashmir on the Line of Control with distinction for which he was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.

He commanded the 11 Corps 'Defenders of Punjab' at Jalandhar. Thereafter, he was posted as Chief of Staff of the most important Northern Army battling insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen Glacier and Line of Actual Control with China in Leh - Ladakh region, the spokesman said.

He said Lt Gen Hira is moving to Army Headquarters with an extensive ground experience of all types of operations.