M A I N   N E W S

Govt has its way, appoints Gen Suhag as Army Chief
* PM-led Cabinet panel clears his name
* To take over on July 31
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 13
The government today appointed Lieutenant General Dalbir Singh Suhag as the next Army Chief. He will succeed General Bikram Singh on July 31.

The name of 59-year-old Suhag was cleared by the Prime Minister-led Appointments Committee of Cabinet despite protests by the BJP. The government has followed the principle of seniority in Lt General Suhag’s appointment. He would be the senior most among the Lt Generals as on July 31.

Lt General Suhag, who is currently the Vice-Chief, will head the 1.4 million strong force till December 2016. Hailing from Jhajjar district, Lt General Suhag is the second Army Chief from Haryana. General VK Singh, who headed the Army from March 31, 2010 to May 31, 2012, hails from Bhiwani.

A third-generation soldier Suhag’s father was in the Armoured Corps. An alumnus of Sainik School, Chittorgarh, Suhag joined the National Defence Academy in 1970 and was commissioned into 4/5 Gorkha Rifles in June 1974.

A stickler for fitness, he goes for a 10-km run daily. Officers who have served with him maintain that his fitness levels shame even the young officers. His hobbies include horse-riding and golf.

Lt General Suhag has served in the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka where his unit was the first to be sent in 1987. He has served as Major General at the 8 Mountain Division Khumathang, controlling Kargil, Drass and Batalik along the Line of Control. He went on to command the Dimapur-based 3 Corps in the North-East before being elevated as the Eastern Army Commander.

The Election Commission, to which the Army Chief’s appointment had been referred in view of the model code of conduct, gave the go-ahead to initiate the process of appointing the next Army Chief on Monday. “The model code of conduct is not applicable to any matter pertaining to the defence forces, be it recruitments or promotions...”said the poll panel. The Defence Ministry sent its recommendation to the Appointments Committee of Cabinet shortly after receiving the go-ahead from the Election Commission.

The BJP had questioned the "political propriety" of the outgoing government to appoint the new Army Chief. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said: “The Manmohan Singh government has only 90 hours left. I leave it to their judgement of political propriety whether to appoint the new Army Chief or not when the vacancy is arising in the end of July.”

In the past, Service Chiefs have been appointed almost three months in advance. Admiral DK Joshi, who recently quit, was appointed 87 days prior to his taking over, while his predecessor Admiral Nirmal Verma had an 85-day period as Chief-designate.

General Bikram Singh was appointed 89 days in advance. Previous Chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne was appointed 73 days in advance, while his predecessor Air Chief Marshal PV Naik had a similar period as Chief-designate when he was appointed on March 3, 2009.

Fitness freak

• Lt General Suhag, who is currently the Vice-Chief, will head the 1.4 million strong force till December 2016
• Hailing from Jhajjar district, Suhag is a stickler for fitness and goes for a 10-km run daily.
• Officers who have served with him maintain that his fitness levels shame even the young officers.