Chief of the Army Staff (India)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chief of the Army Staff
Flag COAS.svg
Flag of the Chief of the Army Staff
General Manoj Mukund Naravane PVSM AVSM SM VSM ADC (1).jpg
Incumbent
General Manoj Mukund Naravane
PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC
since 31 December 2019
 Indian Army
StatusMilitary branch chief
AbbreviationCOAS
Member ofStrategic Policy Group
Defence Planning Committee
National Security Council
Defence Acquisition Council
Reports toFlag of India.svg Prime Minister
Flag of the Ministry of Defence of India.svg Minister of Defence
Flag of Chief of Defence Staff (India).svg Chief of Defence Staff
SeatCentral Secretariat
AppointerACC
Term length3 years or at the age of 62, whichever is earlier.
Constituting instrumentArmy Act, 1950 (Act No. 46 of 1950)
PrecursorChief of the Army Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army
Formation21 June 1948; 73 years ago (1948-06-21)
First holderGeneral Sir Rob Lockhart
Unofficial namesArmy Chief
Deputy Vice Chief of the Army Staff
Salary₹250,000 (US$3,300) monthly[1][2]

The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) (unofficially known as the Army Chief) is the chief commanding authority and highest-ranking officer of the Indian Army. The COAS is the principal advisor to the Minister of Defence on matters exclusively pertaining to the army[a] and is also a key military adviser to the president, the supreme commander. The current COAS is General Manoj Mukund Naravane, serving since 31 December 2019.

Office of the Chief of the Army Staff[]

The post of Commander-in-Chief, India was established in 1748 to designate the commander of all forces of East India Company.

After 1857 , the Commander-in-Chief become the supreme commander of the British Indian Army. The C-in-C was also the overall head of the armed forces of the British India including the Royal Indian Air Force and Royal Indian Navy. The Commander-in-Chief was also closely in contact with Office of the Viceroy of India.

After partition in 1947 the post of Commander-in-Chief was divided into:- Commander-in-Chief of Indian Army, Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan Army and Commander-in-Chief of British Forces in India and Pakistan. At Independence, the head of the Indian Army was designated as the "Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army". On 1 March 1948, the designation changed to "Chief of the Army Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army" .[3] The designation was again changed to "Chief of Army Staff" through the Commanders-In-Chief (Change in Designation) Act ,1955.[4] The office is based at South Block of the Central Secretariat at Raisina Hill, New Delhi.

Appointments to the office are made by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). The COAS reaches superannuation upon three years in the office or at the age of 62, whichever is earlier.

Appointees[]

See also: Commander-in-Chief, India and Chief of the General Staff (India)

The following table chronicles the appointees to the office of the Chief of the Army Staff or its preceding positions since the independence of India.[5] Ranks and honours are as at the completion of their tenure:

Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army (1947–1948)[]

No. Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office Unit of Commission
1
Sir Robert Mcgregor Macdonald Lockhart, KCB, CIE, MC
Lockhart, RobGeneral
Sir Robert Mcgregor Macdonald Lockhart, KCB, CIE, MC
(1893���1981)
[b]		15 August 194731 December 1947108 days51st Sikhs
2
Sir Francis Robert Roy Bucher, KBE, CB, MC
Bucher, RoyGeneral
Sir Francis Robert Roy Bucher, KBE, CB, MC
(1895–1980)
[b]		1 January 194820 June 1948171 days4th Cameronians

Chief of the Army Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army (1948-1955)[]

No. Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office Unit of Commission Ref.
1
Sir Francis Robert Roy Bucher, KBE, CB, MC
Bucher, RoyGeneral
Sir Francis Robert Roy Bucher, KBE, CB, MC
(1895–1980)
[b]		21 June 194815 January 1949208 days4th Cameronians—
2
Kodandera Madappa Cariappa, OBE
Cariappa, KodanderaGeneral
Kodandera Madappa Cariappa, OBE
(1899–1993)		15 January 194914 January 19533 years, 365 days88th Carnatic Infantry—
3
Maharaj Shri Rajendrasinhji Jadeja, DSO
Jadeja, RajendrasinhjiGeneral
Maharaj Shri Rajendrasinhji Jadeja, DSO
(1899–1964)		14 January 19531 April 19552 years, 77 days2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse)[6]

Chief of the Army Staff (1955–present)[]

No. Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office Unit of Commission
1
Maharaj Shri Rajendrasinhji Jadeja, DSO
Jadeja, RajendrasinhjiGeneral
Maharaj Shri Rajendrasinhji Jadeja, DSO
(1899–1964)		1 April 195514 May 195543 days2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse)
2
Satyawant Mallana Srinagesh
Shrinagesh, S.General
Satyawant Mallana Srinagesh
(1903–1977)		15 May 19557 May 19571 year, 357 days19th Hyderabad Regiment
3
Kodandera Subayya Thimayya, DSO
Thimayya, KodenderaGeneral
Kodandera Subayya Thimayya, DSO
(1906–1965)		8 May 19577 May 19614 years, 0 days19th Hyderabad Regiment
4
Pran Nath Thapar
Thapar, PranGeneral
Pran Nath Thapar
(1906–1975)		8 May 196119 November 19621 year, 195 days1st Punjab Regiment
5
Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri, OBE
Chaudhuri, Jayanto NathGeneral
Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri, OBE
(1908–1983)		20 November 19627 June 19663 years, 199 days16th Light Cavalry
6
Paramasiva Prabhakar Kumaramangalam, DSO, MBE
Kumaramangalam, Paramasiva PrabhakarGeneral
Paramasiva Prabhakar Kumaramangalam, DSO, MBE
(1913–2000)		8 June 19667 June 19692 years, 364 daysRegiment of Artillery
7
Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, MC
Manekshaw, SamField Marshal
Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, MC
(1914–2008)		8 June 196915 January 19733 years, 221 days12th Frontier Force Regiment
8
Gopal Gurunath Bewoor, PVSM
Bewoor, Gopal GurunathGeneral
Gopal Gurunath Bewoor, PVSM
(1916–1989)		16 January 197331 May 19752 years, 135 daysDogra Regiment
9
Tapishwar Narain Raina, MVC, SM
Raina, Tapishwar NarainGeneral
Tapishwar Narain Raina, MVC, SM
(1921–1980)		1 June 197531 May 19782 years, 364 daysKumaon Regiment
10
Om Prakash Malhotra, PVSM
Malhotra, Om PrakashGeneral
Om Prakash Malhotra, PVSM
(1922–2015)		1 June 197831 May 19812 years, 364 daysRegiment of Artillery
11
Kotikalapudi Venkata Krishna Rao, PVSM
Rao, K.General
Kotikalapudi Venkata Krishna Rao, PVSM
(1923–2016)		1 June 198131 July 19831 year, 364 daysMahar Regiment
12
Arunkumar Shridhar Vaidya, PVSM, MVC, AVSM
Vaidya, Arun ShridharGeneral
Arunkumar Shridhar Vaidya, PVSM, MVC, AVSM
(1926–1986)		1 August 198331 January 19862 years, 244 days9th Deccan Horse
13
Krishnaswamy Sundarji, PVSM
Sundarji, KrishnaswamyGeneral
Krishnaswamy Sundarji, PVSM
(1928–1999)		1 February 198631 May 19882 years, 120 daysMahar Regiment
14
Vishwa Nath Sharma, PVSM, AVSM, ADC
Sharma, Vishwa NathGeneral
Vishwa Nath Sharma, PVSM, AVSM, ADC
(born 1930)		1 June 198830 June 19902 years, 29 days16th Light Cavalry
15
Sunith Francis Rodrigues, PVSM, VSM
Rodrigues, Sunith FrancisGeneral
Sunith Francis Rodrigues, PVSM, VSM
(born 1933)		1 July 199030 June 19932 years, 364 daysRegiment of Artillery
16
Bipin Chandra Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, ADC
Joshi, Bipin ChandraGeneral
Bipin Chandra Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, ADC
(1935–1994)		1 July 199319 November 19941 year, 141 days64th Cavalry
17
Shankar Roy Chowdhary, PVSM, ADC
Roychowdhury, ShankarGeneral
Shankar Roy Chowdhary, PVSM, ADC
(born 1937)		20 November 199430 September 19972 years, 314 days20th Lancers
18
Ved Prakash Malik, PVSM, AVSM
Chowdhury, Shankar RoyGeneral
Ved Prakash Malik, PVSM, AVSM
(born 1939)		1 October 199730 September 20002 years, 365 daysSikh Light Infantry
19
Sundararajan Padmanabhan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Padmanabhan, SundararajanGeneral
Sundararajan Padmanabhan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
(born 1940)		1 October 200031 December 20022 years, 91 daysRegiment of Artillery
20
Nirmal Chander Vij PVSM, UYSM, AVSM
Vij, Nirmal ChanderGeneral
Nirmal Chander Vij PVSM, UYSM, AVSM
(born 1943)		1 January 200331 January 20052 years, 30 daysDogra Regiment
21
Joginder Jaswant Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC
Vij, Nirmal ChanderGeneral
Joginder Jaswant Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC
(born 1945)		1 February 200530 September 20072 years, 241 daysMaratha Light Infantry
22
Deepak Kapoor, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC
Kapoor, DeepakGeneral
Deepak Kapoor, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC
(born 1948)		1 October 200731 March 20102 years, 181 daysRegiment of Artillery
23
Vijay Kumar Singh, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC
Singh, Vijay KumarGeneral
Vijay Kumar Singh, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC
(born 1951)		1 April 201031 May 20122 years, 60 daysRajput Regiment
24
Bikram Singh PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC
Singh, BikramGeneral
Bikram Singh PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC
(born 1952)		1 June 201231 July 20142 years, 60 daysSikh Light Infantry
25
Dalbir Singh Suhag, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC
Singh, DalbirGeneral
Dalbir Singh Suhag, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC
(born 1954)		1 August 201431 December 20162 years, 152 days5 Gorkha Rifles
26
Bipin Rawat, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, ADC
Rawat, BipinGeneral
Bipin Rawat, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, ADC
(1958–2021)		31 December 201631 December 20193 years, 0 days11 Gorkha Rifles
27
Manoj Mukund Naravane, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC
Naravane, Manoj MukundGeneral
Manoj Mukund Naravane, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC
(born 1960)		31 December 2019Incumbent2 years, 35 daysSikh Light Infantry

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ The Chief of Defence Staff advises the minister on matters concerning more than one service.
  2. ^ a b c Formerly British Indian Army. Seconded from the British Army.

References[]

  1. ^ "Report of the 7th Central Pay Commission of India" (PDF). Seventh Central Pay Commission, Government of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  2. ^ Biswas, Shreya, ed. (29 June 2016). "7th Pay Commission cleared: What is the Pay Commission? How does it affect salaries?". India Today. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  3. ^ "Press Communique" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 28 February 1948. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
  4. ^ "The Commanders-In-Chief (Change in Designation) Act, 1955". VakilNo1.com. Archived from the original on 11 November 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  5. ^ Official Indian Army Web Portal. "Chief of the Army Staff (COAS)". www.indianarmy.nic.in. Archived from the original on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  6. ^ Contibutor, Bharat Rakshak - Indian Army & Land Forces. "General Maharaj Kumar Shri Rajendrasinhji DSO". www.Bharat-Rakshak.com. Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2021.

Sources[]

  • Khanduri, Chandra B. (2006). Thimayya: an amazing life. New Delhi: Knowledge World. p. 394. ISBN 978-81-87966-36-4. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
Retrieved from ""