Singapore, March 5
Singapore has appointed Brigadier General Ravinder Singh as its next army chief, the first Sikh in nearly 30 years to be given the force's baton.

Brig Gen Ravinder Singh, 41, will take over from Major-General Chan Chun Sing on March 25, the Straits Times reported. A Singaporean of Indian origin, Brig Gen Singh is currently the Deputy Secretary (Technology) in the Defence Ministry. He had joined the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in December 1982.

Singh made significant contributions to the SAF that included the application of the Integrated Knowledge-Based Command and Control (IKC2), it was reported. He also served as Assistant Chief of General Staff (plans), head of Joint Communications and Information Systems Department and Chief of Staff - Joint Staff.

He is also the first non-Chinese Army Chief in nearly 30 years. Colonel Mancharan Singh Gill was the first ever Sikh and non-Chinese to take up the post in 1982, the report said.

Though Major-General Chan is retiring according to an announcement by the Defence Ministry, local media speculated that he would contest the coming general election for a parliamentary seat under the banner of the ruling People’s Action Party. — PTI