The Centre on Wednesday named Lt Gen (retd) Anil Chauhan as the new CDS (Chief of Defence Staff). He will succeed General Bipin Rawat, who died in December last year. The position had been vacant since then. Chauhan served as GOC-in-charge of Eastern Command from 2019 to 2021. He retired in May 2021. He will also function as Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Military Affairs.
In a career spanning nearly 40 years, Chauhan had held several command, staff, and instrumental appointments and had extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu & Kashmir and North-East India.
Born in May 1961, Lt Gen Anil Chauhan was commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles in 1981. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla and the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.
In the rank of Major General, the officer had commanded an Infantry Division in the critical Baramula sector in the Northern Command. Later as Lt General, he commanded a corps in the North East and subsequently went to become the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command from September 2019 and held the charge until his retirement from the service in May 2021.
In addition to these command appointments, the officer also tenanted important staff appointments including the charge of Director General of Military Operations. Earlier, the officer had also served as a United Nations mission to Angola.
Even after his retirement, Chauhan continued to contribute to national security and strategic matters. For his distinguished and illustrious service, Chauhan was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal.