General Upendra Dwivedi
General Upendra Dwivedi took charge as the 30th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) on Sunday, succeeding General Manoj C. Pande. His appointment was announced on June 11.
Before assuming this role, Dwivedi served as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff from February 2024 to June 2024. His previous roles include IGAR (GOC) and Sector Commander of Assam Rifles. He also commanded the Rising Star Corps and the Northern Army from 2022 to 2024.
Born on July 1, 1964, in Madhya Pradesh, General Dwivedi studied at Sainik School Rewa (MP) and joined the National Defence Academy in January 1981. He holds an MPhil in Defence & Management Studies, and two Master’s degrees in Strategic Studies and Military Science. He is also a Distinguished Fellow from the USAWC, Carlisle, USA. An accomplished author, he has contributed to various professional forums and journals. He is married to Sunita Dwivedi, a science graduate and homemaker, and they have two daughters who work with NGOs.
Commissioned into the 18th Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles on December 15, 1984, General Dwivedi has a rich military career. He has commanded a battalion in both the Kashmir Valley and the Rajasthan Deserts.
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Dwivedi has extensive experience across the Northern, Western, and Eastern Theatres. He pioneered the first compendium on Indo-Myanmar Border Management and has provided strategic guidance and operational oversight in Jammu & Kashmir.
Among his numerous awards and honors, General Dwivedi has received the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, and three GOC-in-C Commendation cards.
His career spans diverse terrains and operational environments, including deserts, high altitudes, riverine and built-up areas, the North East, and Jammu & Kashmir. He has led active counter-terrorist operations and managed the induction of indigenous equipment under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
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