The Hindu : National : Gen. J.J. Singh takes over as Army chief

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Tuesday, Feb 01, 2005

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National

Gen. J.J. Singh takes over as Army chief

By Our Special Correspondent

The outgoing Chief of the Army Staff, Gen. N.C. Vij, invites the new Army Chief, Gen. Joginder Jaswant Singh, to take charge at the Defence Headquarters in New Delhi on Monday. — AP

NEW DELHI, JAN. 31 . General Joginder Jaswant Singh today became the first Sikh officer to take over as the Chief of the Army Staff. He took charge as the 22nd Army Chief from General Nirmal Chander Vij who retired after 43 years of service.

Known as "JJ", Gen. Singh is a hero of anti-terrorist operations and one who has seen a variety of firsthand combat operations in over 12 years of field experience. A third generation Officer in the Army, Gen. Singh, 60, was commissioned into the 9 Maratha Light Infantry in August 1964.

Among those who called to congratulate him on his new assignment was Sahu Chhatrapati, Maharaj of Kolhapur, who commended him for being the first officer in the regiment's history to have become the Army Chief.

Gen. Singh has the distinction of being decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and the Vishisht Seva Medal. He has also received the Chief of the Army Staff's commendation after he was wounded in anti-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir as a Brigade Commander.

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