Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 19: Lieutenant General M V Suchindra Kumar assumed charge as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Udhampur-based Northern Command of the Army on Monday.
He succeeded Lt Gen. Upendra Dwivedi, who has assumed the charge of the Vice Chief of Army staff and is the frontrunner to become the Army chief when incumbent General Manoj Pande retires on May 31.
“Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar assumed the command of #DhruvaCommand and paid homage to the #Bravehearts at #DhruvaWarMemorial.
“On assuming command, the #ArmyCommander exhorted all ranks to remain focused on operational preparedness and continue working with utmost zeal and enthusiasm,” the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) of the Indian Army posted on X.
Lt Gen Dwivedi headed the Northern Command for more than two years after taking over its charge on February 1, 2022. He laid a wreath to honour the supreme sacrifice of the bravehearts at the Dhruva War Memorial in Udhampur on relinquishing the command on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi, who has vast operational experience along the frontiers with China and Pakistan, on Monday assumed charge as Vice Chief of the Army Staff, succeeding Lieutenant General MV Suchindra Kumar in New Delhi.
Prior to taking over as Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen Dwivedi was serving as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command from 2022-2024 in an “extremely challenging operational environment”, the Army said in a statement.
An alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa, Lt Gen Dwivedi was commissioned into 18 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in 1984, a unit he later commanded.
“The General Officer has had a unique distinction of balanced exposure of both Northern and Western Theatres,” the Army said.
In his illustrious career spanning 39 years, he has held command appointments in challenging operational environments, spanning the length and breadth of the country.
He commanded his unit in Kashmir Valley as well as in Rajasthan.
Lt Gen Dwivedi was the Sector Commander and the Inspector General of Assam Rifles in an intense counter terrorism environment in the north east.
He commanded the Rising Star Corps with an operational role along the western borders.
Lt Gen Dwivedi commanded the prestigious Northern Army in an extremely challenging operational environment along both the northern and western borders, the Army said in a statement.
As Northern Army commander, he provided strategic guidance and operational oversight for planning and execution of sustained operations along the northern and western borders, besides orchestrating the dynamic counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
During this period, the General officer was actively engaged in the ongoing negotiations with China in resolving the vexed border issue, the Army said.
He was also involved in modernisation and equipping of the largest Army command of the Indian Army, where he steered the induction of indigenous equipment as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).
The Army said that he synergised with people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh for “convergent nation-building outcomes” and infrastructure development.
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