Chief of the General Staff (India)

Last updated

Chief of the General Staff
Gen. Sir Beauchamp Duff (LOC).jpg
First in office
Lieutenant general Sir Beauchamp Duff
March 1906—October 1909
British Indian Army
Indian Army
AbbreviationCGS
Reports to Commander-in-Chief, India
Seat GHQ India
Term length No fixed term
FormationMarch 1906
First holder Lieutenant general Sir Beauchamp Duff
(British Indian Army)
Final holder Lieutenant General Moti Sagar (Indian Army)
AbolishedJanuary 1965
Succession Vice Chief of the Army Staff in 1965

The Chief of the General Staff, India was a senior military commander in the British Indian Army from 1906 to 1947, and in the independent Indian Army from 1947 until 1965.

Contents

History

During British rule, the Chief of the General Staff, India assisted the Commander-in-Chief, India in commanding the British Indian Army. The post was largely honorary as all power resided in the hands of Commander-in-Chief, India. [1] After Indian independence in 1947, the CGS remained a senior staff appointment. In January 1959, the appointment of Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (DCOAS) was established as the deputy commander of the Indian Army until it was superseded by the new post of Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) In January 1965. Subsequently, the post of VCOAS replaced the CGS. [2]

Chiefs of the General Staff

Holders of the post have been: [3]

British Indian Army (1906–1947)

No.NameTook officeLeft officeUnit of commissionRef
1Lieutenant-General Sir Beauchamp Duff Mar 1906Oct 1909 Royal Artillery [3]
2Lieutenant-General Sir Douglas Haig Oct 1909Feb 1912 7th Queen's Own Hussars [3]
3Lieutenant-General Sir Percy Lake   Feb 1912Jan 1916 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot [3]
4Lieutenant-General Sir George Kirkpatrick Jan 1916Jan 1920 Royal Engineers [3]
5General Sir Claud Jacob Jan 1920Nov 1924 Worcestershire Regiment [3]
6General Sir Andrew Skeen Nov 1924Oct 1928 King's Own Scottish Borderers [3]
7General Sir Philip Chetwode Oct 1928Jul 1930 Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry [3]
8Lieutenant-General Sir Cyril Deverell Jul 1930Mar 1931 Prince of Wales's West Yorkshire Regiment [3]
9General Sir Kenneth Wigram Mar 1931May 1934 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) [3]
10General Sir William Bartholomew May 1934Oct 1937 Royal Artillery [3]
11General Sir Ivo Vesey Oct 1937Jun 1939 Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) [3]
12General Sir Eric de Burgh Jun 1939May 1941 Royal Dublin Fusiliers [3]
13Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Hutton   May 1941Dec 1941 Royal Artillery [3]
14Lieutenant-General Sir Edwin Morris           Dec 1941Apr 1944 Royal Engineers [3]
15Lieutenant-General Sir John Swayne Apr 1944Jan 1946 Somerset Light Infantry [3]
16Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Smith Jan 1946Aug 1947 Coldstream Guards [3]

Indian Army (1947–1965)

S.NoNameRegiment of commissionAssumed officeLeft officeReferencesNotes
1 Major General K. M. Cariappa OBE Rajput Regiment August 1947November 1947 [4] Later became first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.
Major General Pran Nath Thapar 1st Punjab Regiment December 1947February 1948 [5] Officiating Chief of the General Staff. Later served as Chief of the Army Staff.
Major General Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri OBE 7th Light Cavalry February 1948May 1948 [6] Officiating. Later served as Chief of the Army Staff.
2 Lieutenant General Kalwant Singh 1st Punjab Regiment May 1948 [n 1] March 1950 [8] [9] Later served as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Command.
3 Major General S. P. P. Thorat KC , DSO 14th Punjab Regiment 3 April 1950January 1953 [10] [11] Later served as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command.
4 Major General Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri OBE 7th Light Cavalry 29 September 1953December 1955 [12] [6] [13] [14] Later served as Chief of the Army Staff.
5 Major General Mohinder Singh Wadalia Kumaon Regiment December 1955May 1957 [15] [16] [17]
6 Lieutenant General Shiv Dev Verma 16th Light Cavalry May 1957 [n 2] February 1959 [19] [20]
7 Lieutenant General Lionel Protip Sen DSO Baloch Regiment February 19598 May 1961 [17] Later served as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command.
8 Lieutenant General Brij Mohan Kaul PVSM Rajputana Rifles 8 May 19614 October 1962 [21] [22]
9 Lieutenant General Moti Sagar 4th Gorkha Rifles 4 October 196215 January 1965 [23] [24]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Promoted to Lieutenant General in 1949. [7]
  2. ↑ Promoted to Lieutenant General in 1958. [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laxminarayan Ramdas</span> Indian admiral (1933–2024)

Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas, PVSM, AVSM, VrC, VSM, ADC was an Indian naval officer who was a flag officer of the Indian Navy. Ramdas first served in the Indian Navy in 1953, before being promoted as a flag lieutenant to Ram Dass Katari, the first Indian Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral. In the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, he was involved in a naval blockade of East Pakistan, hindering attempts to evacuate 93,000 troops and leading to East Pakistan's surrender. During his service in the military confrontation, he was awarded the Vir Chakra. Ramdas later served as the 13th Chief of Naval Staff from 1990 to 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tapishwar Narain Raina</span> Recipient of Maha Vir Chakra

General Tapishwar "Tappy" Narain Raina, best known as T.N. Raina, was a senior army officer and a diplomat who served as the 9th Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army between 1975 and 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krishnaswamy Sundarji</span> Indian general and author

General Krishnaswamy "Sundarji" Sundararajan, was the Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army from 1986 to 1988. He was the last former British Indian Army officer to command the Indian Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. F. R. Jacob</span> Indian Army officer and statesman (1923–2016)

Lieutenant General Jack Farj RafaelJacob was a general officer in the Indian Army. He was best known for the role he played in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. Jacob, then a major general, served as the chief of staff of the Indian Army's Eastern Command. During his 36-year long career in the army, Jacob fought in World War II and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. He later served as the governor of the Indian states of Goa and Punjab.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nirmal Chander Vij</span>

General Nirmal Chander Vij PVSM, UYSM, AVSM was the 21st Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army. He held the office from 1 Jan 2003 to 31 Jan 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paramasiva Prabhakar Kumaramangalam</span> Indian Army general (1913–2000)

General Paramasiva Prabhakar Kumaramangalam, DSO, MBE, FRHS was the 6th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army from 1967 to 1969. He was one of the last British-trained King's Commissioned Indian Officer (KCIO) to serve in the Indian Army, and the last KCIO to lead the Indian Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bipin Rawat</span> First Chief of Defence Staff of India (1958–2021)

General Bipin Rawat was an Indian military officer who was a four-star general of the Indian Army. He served as the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Indian Armed Forces from January 2020 until his death in a helicopter crash in December 2021. Prior to taking over as the CDS, he served as the 57th Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee of the Indian Armed Forces as well as 27th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adhar Kumar Chatterji</span> Indian naval officer

Admiral Adhar Kumar Chatterji was an Admiral in the Indian Navy. He served as the 6th Chief of the Naval Staff, from 4 March 1966, until 28 February 1970. He was the first Indian officer of the navy to hold the rank of full Admiral. He is credited with the transformation of the Indian Navy. He made sweeping changes and restructured the navy, creating the Western and Eastern Naval Commands and the Western Fleet. Under him, the Indian Navy also entered the submarine age, with the commissioning of INS Kalvari (S23) in 1967.

Admiral Jal Cursetji, PVSM was a former Flag Officer in the Indian Navy. He served as the ninth Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) from 1 March 1976 until 28 February 1979. He was the first hydrographer to serve as the CNS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalbir Singh Suhag</span> 25th Chief of the Army Staff (India)

General Dalbir Singh Suhag, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC is the former Indian High Commissioner to Seychelles and a former Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army. He was the 25th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army, serving from 31 July 2014 to 31 December 2016, and Vice Chief of the Army Staff prior to that.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vice Chief of the Army Staff (India)</span> Indian army position

The Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) is a statutory position in the Indian Armed Forces usually held by a three star lieutenant general. As the second highest-ranking officer to serve in the Indian Army, the VCOAS is the deputy professional head of the Indian Army and a senior adviser to the Minister of Defence. The office holder is usually the second most senior army officer unless the Chief of Defence is an army officer.

Lieutenant General Kashmir Singh Katoch, MC was an Indian Army General and military adviser to the Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir, officiating as the Chief of Staff of the State Forces during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. He later served as the Vice Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devraj Anbu</span> Indian Army general

Lieutenant General Devraj Anbu, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, ADC is a retired Indian Army general who served as Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS). He assumed office on 1 June 2018 following the retirement of Lt Gen Sarath Chand, and retired on 31 August 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarath Chand</span> Former Vice Chief of Army Staff

Lieutenant General Sarath Chand, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM is an Indian politician and former Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) of the Indian Army. He served as Vice Chief of Army Staff from 13 January 2017 till his retirement on 31 May 2018. He joined Bharatiya Janata Party on 6 April 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manoj Mukund Naravane</span> 28th Chief of the Army Staff (India)

General Manoj Mukund Naravane, is a retired Indian Army General who served as the 28th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), as well as the temporary Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee from 15 December 2021 until his superannuation on 30 April 2022. He took over as COAS from General Bipin Rawat on 31 December 2019 after the latter completed his term. Prior to his appointment as the COAS, the general served as the 40th Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) of the Indian Army, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of Eastern Command and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Army Training Command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anil Chauhan</span> 2nd Chief of Defence Staff of India (born 1961)

General Anil Chauhan is a four-star general of the Indian Army, who is the current and 2nd Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Indian Armed Forces, since 30 September 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ranbir Singh (general)</span> Indian Army general

Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh, PVSM, AVSM & Bar, YSM, SM, ADC is a former General Officer in the Indian Army. He last served as the General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) Northern Command. He assumed office on 1 June 2018 from Lt Gen Devraj Anbu who assumed the office of Vice Chief of the Army Staff. He was the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of the Indian Army during the 2016 Indian Line of Control strike & during the 2015 Indian counter-insurgency operation in Myanmar he was Additional Director General of Military Operations (ADGMO). He was considered the face of the operations because he briefed the media after both the strikes.

Lieutenant General Ravendra Pal Singh PVSM, AVSM, VSM is a former General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) Western Command of the Indian Army. He assumed office on 1 August 2019, succeeding Gen Surinder Singh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manoj Pande</span> 29th Chief of the Army Staff (India)

General Manoj Pande, is a serving four star officer in the Indian Army, who is the 29th and the current Chief of the Army Staff. He previously served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Command and also as the Commander-in-Chief (CINCAN) of Andman and Nicobar Command. He is the first officer from the Corps of Engineers to become the Army Chief.

Lieutenant-General Patrick Oswald Dunn was an Indian Army general. He commanded the I Corps during the Indo-Pak War of 1965 for which he was awarded the third-highest award of India - the Padma Bhushan.

References

  1. ↑ The Indian Army in 1914 Archived September 9, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ "Part II-Section 4: Ministry of Defence" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 15 May 1965. p. 140.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Army Commands Archived July 5, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ "BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF GENERAL K .M. CARIAPPA" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 18 August 1952.
  5. ↑ "NEW CHIEF OF THE GENERAL STAFF" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 27 December 1947.
  6. 1 2 "General J.N. Chaudhuri" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 9 November 1965. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  7. ↑ "INDIAN DEFENCE DELEGATION IN OTTAWA" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 12 May 1949.
  8. ↑ "DEFENCE MINISTER ENTERTAINS MOHAN BAGAN" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 26 October 1948.
  9. ↑ "INDIAN DEFENCE DELEGATION IN OTTAWA" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 12 May 1949.
  10. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 20 May 1950. p. 35.
  11. ↑ "SATISFACTORY PROGRESS OF N.C.C." (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 5 May 1952.
  12. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 31 October 1953. p. 238.
  13. ↑ "INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION CHAIRMAN'S APPRECIATION" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 29 March 1954.
  14. ↑ "ARMY COMMANDERS CONFERENCE" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 6 December 1955.
  15. ↑ "DEFENCE SERVICES DELEGATION LEAVE FOR CHINA" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 25 September 1956.
  16. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 25 May 1957. p. 129.
  17. 1 2 "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 16 May 1959. p. 114.
  18. ↑ "CHANGES IN SENIOR ARMY APPOINTMENTS" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 9 December 1958.
  19. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 25 May 1957. p. 129.
  20. ↑ "ATOMIC RESOURCES IN INDIA" (PDF). archive.pib.gov.in. 4 April 1958.
  21. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 20 May 1961. p. 128.
  22. ↑ Davar, Praveen (1 December 2017). "How 1962 war cut short 2 brilliant careers". The Asian Age. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  23. ↑ "Press Communique" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 8 May 1964. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  24. ↑ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 6 February 1965. p. 73.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.