Manoj Pande (lieutenant general)
Lieutenant General Manoj Pande | |
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![]() Manoj Pande, official portrait | |
43rd Vice Chief of the Army Staff | |
Assumed office 1 February 2022 | |
President | Ram Nath Kovind |
Preceded by | Chandi Prasad Mohanty |
Personal details | |
Awards | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | ![]() |
Years of service | December 1982 – present |
Rank | ![]() |
Unit | Bombay Sappers Corps of Engineers |
Commands | Eastern Command Andaman and Nicobar Command IV Corps 8 Mountain Division 52 Infantry Brigade 117 Engineer Regiment |
Service number | IC-40716F[1] |
Lieutenant General Manoj Chandrashekhar Pande,[1] PVSM, AVSM, VSM is a serving General Officer in the Indian Army. He currently serves as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff since 1 February 2022. Previously, he served as the General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, having taken over on 1 June 2021. He previously commanded the Andaman and Nicobar Command as the Commander-in-Chief (CINCAN).[2]
Early life and education[]
Pande was born to Dr. C G Pande, a consulting Psychotherapist who retired as the Head of the Department of Psychology of the Nagpur University, and Prema, an announcer and host with the All India Radio. The family hails from Nagpur.[3] After his schooling, he joined the National Defence Academy (NDA). After NDA, he joined the Indian Military Academy and was commissioned as an officer.[4] He married Archana Salpekar, gold medalist from Govt Dental College and Hospital, Nagpur on 3 May 1987.
Career[]
Pande was commissioned into the Bombay Sappers, one of the regiments in the Corps of Engineers, in December 1982. He attended the Staff College, Camberley in the United Kingdom. After completing the course, he returned to India and was appointed brigade major of a mountain brigade in Northeast India.[5] After promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he served as the Chief Engineer at the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea.[4]
Pande has commanded the 117 Engineer Regiment along the Line of Control (LOC) in Jammu and Kashmir. He was in command of the regiment during Operation Parakram.[6] He then attended the Army War College, Mhow and completed the Higher Command Course. After the course, he was appointed Colonel Q at HQ 8 Mountain Division.[6] He was then promoted to the rank of Brigadier and given command of an Engineer brigade as part of a Strike Corps in the western theatre.[6] He also commanded the 52 Infantry Brigade, positioned along the LOC. Pande was selected to attend the prestigious National Defence College.[4] After completing the course, he was appointed Brigadier General Staff Operations (BGS-Ops) at HQ Eastern Command.
General officer[]
After promotion to the rank of Major General, Pande took command of 8 Mountain Division which was involved in high-altitude operations in western Ladakh.[5] He then served a tenure in the Military Operations directorate at Army Headquarters as the Additional Director General (ADG).[5] Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General, he served as the Chief of Staff of the Southern Command.[3] On 30 December 2018, Pande took command of the IV Corps at Tezpur from Lieutenant General Gurpal Singh Sangha.[7][8] The corps is deployed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as well as in Counter-insurgency operations in the North-East.[4] After about a year-and-a half at the helm of IV Corps, he moved to Army HQ and was appointed Director General dealing with subjects of Discipline, Ceremonial and Welfare.[4]
On 30 April 2020, Pande was appointed the next Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN). He assumed command on 1 June 2020 after the incumbent Lt Gen P S Rajeshwar superannuated on 31 May 2020.[9] A year later, he was appointed General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command. He handed over charge of CINCAN to Lieutenant General Ajai Singh on 31 May and took command of the Eastern Command on 1 June.[10]
He has been appointed as the next Vice Chief of the Army Staff succeeding Lieutenant General Chandi Prasad Mohanty on his superannuation on 31 January 2022.[2]
Honours and decorations[]
He is a recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal,[11] Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, and the Vishisht Seva Medal.[12][13] Apart from these, he has been awarded the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Commendation Card and two GOC-in-C commendation cards.[5]
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Param Vishisht Seva Medal | Ati Vishisht Seva Medal | ||
Vishisht Seva Medal | Special Service Medal | Operation Vijay Medal | Operation Parakram Medal |
Sainya Seva Medal | High Altitude Service Medal | Videsh Seva Medal | 50th Anniversary of Independence Medal |
30 Years Long Service Medal | 20 Years Long Service Medal | 9 Years Long Service Medal | UNMEE Medal |
Dates of rank[]
Insignia | Rank | Component | Date of rank |
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Second Lieutenant | Indian Army | 24 December 1982[1] |
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Lieutenant | Indian Army | 24 December 1984[14] |
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Captain | Indian Army | 24 December 1987[15] |
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Major | Indian Army | 24 December 1993[16] |
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Lieutenant-Colonel | Indian Army | 16 December 2004[17] |
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Colonel | Indian Army | 1 March 2006[18] |
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Brigadier | Indian Army | 1 April 2010 (substantive, seniority from 25 January 2009)[19] |
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Major General | Indian Army | 1 July 2015 (substantive, seniority from 12 June 2012)[20] |
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Lieutenant-General | Indian Army | 1 September 2017[21] |
References[]
- ^ a b c "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 3 November 1984. p. 1810.
- ^ a b @ANI (18 January 2022). "Government of India approves the proposal for the appointment of Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Manoj Pande as the next Vice Chief of Army Staff: Sources" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b News, Nagpur. "Nagpurian appointed as Chief of Staff at Southern Command Headquarters". www.nagpurtoday.in.
- ^ a b c d e "Lieutenant General Manoj Pande takes over as Commander-In-Chief of Andaman & Nicobar Command Tomorrow;". pib.gov.in.
- ^ a b c d "Lt Gen Manoj Pande takes over as new chief of Southern Command Pune". United News of India. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
- ^ a b c "Integrated Defence Staff". www.ids.nic.in.
- ^ "Lt Gen Manoj Pande takes charge of Gajraj Corps". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 30 December 2018.
- ^ Feeds, P. T. I. (30 December 2018). "Lt Gen Manoj Pande takes charge of Gajraj Corps". India News, Breaking News, Entertainment News | India.com.
- ^ DelhiApril 30, Manjeet Singh Negi New; April 30, Manjeet Singh Negi New; Ist, Manjeet Singh Negi New. "Lt Gen Manoj Pande appointed chief of Andaman & Nicobar command at Port Blair". India Today.
- ^ "Lt Gen Manoj Pande relinquishes Command of Andaman & Nicobar Command". Press Information Bureau (Government of India). Press Information Bureau. 31 May 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
- ^ "HONOURS AND AWARDS : REPUBLIC DAY 2022" (PDF). PIB.
- ^ "h17". www.sainiksamachar.nic.in.
- ^ "The Official Home Page of the Indian Army". www.indianarmy.nic.in.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 31 May 1986. p. 887.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 26 November 1988. p. 1723.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 14 May 1994. p. 940.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 15 October 2005. p. 1895.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 21 April 2007. p. 636.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 16 February 2013. p. 274.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 21 May 2016. p. 1310.
- ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)" (PDF). The Gazette of India. 9 February 2019. p. 393.
- Indian generals
- Living people
- Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
- Recipients of the Vishisht Seva Medal
- Indian Army officers
- National Defence Academy (India) alumni
- Alumni of the National Defence College, India
- Commanders-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command