The Chief of the Army Staff is the commander and usually the highest-ranking officer of the Indian Army

Indian Army

The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...

. The position is abbreviated as COAS in Indian Army cables and communication.

The current COAS is General Vijay Kumar Singh

Vijay Kumar Singh

General Vijay Kumar Singh PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC is the 26th General of the Indian Army and the current Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army.- Early Life and education:...

, who took office on 1 April 2010.

Office of the Chief of the Army Staff

The office of the Chief of the Army Staff was created through The Commanders-In-Chief (Change in Designation) Act of the Indian Parliament in 1955. It replaced the erstwhile office of the Commander-in-Chief, Army. The office is based at South Block in Raisina Hill

Raisina Hill

Raisina Hill is an area of Lutyens' Delhi, New Delhi, housing India's most important government buildings, including Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India and the Secretariat building housing the Prime Minister's Office and several other important ministries...

, New Delhi

New Delhi

New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...

.

Appointments to the office are made by the President of India

President of India

The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...

. The COAS reaches superannuation at the age of 62.

Appointees

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.

No.	Name	Appointment Date	Left Office	Unit of Commission	Decorations
1	General Sir Robert McGregor Macdonald Lockhart Rob Lockhart General Sir Robert McGregor MacDonald Lockhart KCB CIE MC was a British Indian Army general of World War II and an early Scouting notable.-Military career:... *	15 August 1947	31 December 1947	Infantry - 51 Sikhs Frontier Force	KCB Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath... , CIE Order of the Indian Empire The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion... , MC Military Cross The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
2	General Sir Francis Robert Roy Bucher Roy Bucher General Sir Roy Bucher KBE CB MC was Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army.-Military career:Educated at the Edinburgh Academy, Bucher served in World War I with 1st Bn Cameronians in France from 1914 to 1915 when he joined the 55th Cokes Rifles in India... *	1 January 1948	15 January 1949	Infantry Infantry Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...	KBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... , CB Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath... , MC Military Cross The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
3	Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa Kodandera Madappa Cariappa Field Marshal Kodandera "Kipper" Madappa Cariappa OBE was the first Indian Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army and led the Indian forces on the Western Front during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1947.He is among only two Indian Army officers to hold the highest rank of Field Marshal Field Marshal...	16 January 1949	14 January 1953	Infantry Infantry Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...  - Rajput Regiment Rajput Regiment The Rajput Regiment is a regiment in the Indian Army that is composed primarily of the Rajput clans from India. The British designated the Rajputs as a martial race and subsequently employed large numbers of these warriors in the British Indian Army....	OBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
4	General Maharaj Shri Rajendrasinhji Jadeja Rajendrasinhji Jadeja General Maharaj Shri Rajendrasinhji Jadeja, DSO , also known as Kumar Sri Rajendrasinhji and K.S. Rajendrasinhji, was the first Chief of Army Staff of the Indian army, and the second Indian, after Field Marshal K. M...	15 January 1953	14 May 1955	Armoured Corps Indian Army Armoured Corps The Indian Army Armoured Corps is one of the combat arms of the Indian Army. Formed in 1947 from two-thirds of the personnel and assets of the Raj's Indian Armoured Corps. It currently consists of 63 armoured regiments, including the president's bodyguards. The naming of the regiments varies... , 2nd Lancers	DSO Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
5	General Satyawant Mallannah Shrinagesh Satyawant Mallannah Shrinagesh General Satyawant Mallannah Shrinagesh , commonly known as S. M. Shrinagesh, served as 3rd Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army from 14 May 1955 till 7 May 1957...	15 May 1955	7 May 1957	Infantry Infantry Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...  - Kumaon Regiment Kumaon Regiment The Kumaon Regiment is one of the most decorated regiments of the Indian Army. The regiment traces its origins to the 18th century and has fought in every major campaign of the British Indian Army and the Indian Army, including the two world wars...
6	General Kodandera Subayya Thimayya	8 May 1957	7 May 1961	Infantry Infantry Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...  - Kumaon Regiment Kumaon Regiment The Kumaon Regiment is one of the most decorated regiments of the Indian Army. The regiment traces its origins to the 18th century and has fought in every major campaign of the British Indian Army and the Indian Army, including the two world wars...	Padma Vibhushan Padma Vibhushan The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan... , DSO Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September... , ADC
7	General Pran Nath Thapar Pran Nath Thapar General Pran Nath Thapar was the fifth Chief of Army Staff of the Indian army.-Personal life:...	8 May 1961	19 November 1962	Infantry Infantry Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...  - 1st Punjab Regiment 1st Punjab Regiment The 1st Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to the Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 14th, 15th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956, to form the Punjab Regiment....
8	General Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri OBE was Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army from 1962 to 1966 and the Military Governor of Hyderabad State from 1948 to 1949....	20 November 1962	7 June 1966	Armoured Corps Indian Army Armoured Corps The Indian Army Armoured Corps is one of the combat arms of the Indian Army. Formed in 1947 from two-thirds of the personnel and assets of the Raj's Indian Armoured Corps. It currently consists of 63 armoured regiments, including the president's bodyguards. The naming of the regiments varies... , 16th Light Cavalry 16th Light Cavalry The 16th Light Cavalry is a regiment of the Armoured Corps, a primary combat arm of the Indian Army. Prior to India gaining independence from the British in 1947, it was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army...  and 7th Light Cavary	Padma Vibhushan Padma Vibhushan The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan... , OBE
9	General Paramasiva Prabhakar Kumaramangalam Paramasiva Prabhakar Kumaramangalam General Paramasiva Prabhakar Kumaramangalam, PV, DSO, MBE was the 7th Chief of Staff of the Indian Army in the period . He was the last of the King's Commissioned Indian Officers trained at Sandhurst in the Indian Army.-Early life and education:P.P. Kumaramangalam was born to the Former Chief...	8 June 1966	7 June 1969	Regiment of Artillery Regiment of Artillery The Regiment of Artillery is an operational arm of the Indian Army. Formerly part of Royal Indian Artillery of British Indian Army which itself traces its origins to the formation of Bombay Artillery in 1827...	Padma Vibhushan Padma Vibhushan The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan... , DSO Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September... , MBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
10	Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw Sam Manekshaw Field Marshal Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, MC "Sam Bahadur" was a Field Marshal of the Indian Army. His distinguished military career spanned four decades and five wars...	8 June 1969	15 January 1973	Infantry Infantry Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...  - 8 Gorkha Rifles 8 Gorkha Rifles The 8 Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army. It was raised in 1824 as part of the British East India Company and later transferred to the British Indian Army after the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The regiment served in the World War I and World War II, before being one of the Gurkha...	Padma Vibhushan Padma Vibhushan The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan... , Padma Bhushan Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:... , MC Military Cross The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
11	General Gopal Gurunath Bewoor Gopal Gurunath Bewoor General Gopal Gurunath Bewoor Marathi - जनरल गोपाळ गुरुनाथ बेवूर/ಜನರಲ್ ಗೋಪಾಲ್ ಗುರುನಾಥ್ ಬೇವೂರ್PVSM was an officer of the Indian Army who served as the 9th Chief of Army Staff...	16 January 1973	31 May 1975	Infantry Infantry Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...  - 11 Gorkha Rifles and Dogra Dogra Regiment The Dogra Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army, formerly the 17th Dogra Regiment when part of the British Indian Army.- Formation:The regiment has the Dogra people from the Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and the hill regions of Punjab...	PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then till 1980, it was awarded in recognition to peace-time service of most exceptional order.-External links:...
12	General Tapishwar Narain Raina Tapishwar Narain Raina Tapishwar Narain Raina was the Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army during 1975-78. Later he served as High Commissioner to Canada.Early life and Education...	1 June 1975	31 May 1978	Infantry Infantry Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...  - Kumaon Regiment Kumaon Regiment The Kumaon Regiment is one of the most decorated regiments of the Indian Army. The regiment traces its origins to the 18th century and has fought in every major campaign of the British Indian Army and the Indian Army, including the two world wars...	Padma Bhushan Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...  MVC Maha Vir Chakra The Maha Vir Chakra is the second highest military decoration in India and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It may be awarded posthumously. Literally Maha Veer means extraordinarily brave.-Appearance:The medal is made...
13	General Om Prakash Malhotra Om Prakash Malhotra General Om Prakash Malhotra PVSM , was the 13th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army.Commissioned in the Regiment of Artillery in November 1941, he fought against the Japanese in the Second World War in Burma. He commanded artillery regiments across India between November 1950 and July 1961...	1 June 1978	31 May 1981	Regiment of Artillery Regiment of Artillery The Regiment of Artillery is an operational arm of the Indian Army. Formerly part of Royal Indian Artillery of British Indian Army which itself traces its origins to the formation of Bombay Artillery in 1827...	PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then till 1980, it was awarded in recognition to peace-time service of most exceptional order.-External links:...
14	General Kotikalapudi Venkata Krishna Rao	1 June 1981	31 July 1983	Infantry Infantry Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...  - Mahar Regiment Mahar Regiment The Mahar Regiment is an Infantry Regiment of the Indian Army. Although it was originally intended to be a regiment consisting of troops from the Mahars in Maharashtra, the Mahar Regiment is one of the only regiments in the Indian Army that is composed of troops from all communities and regions of...	PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then till 1980, it was awarded in recognition to peace-time service of most exceptional order.-External links:...
15	General Arun Shridhar Vaidya Arun Shridhar Vaidya General Arun Shridhar Vaidya, MVC, AVSM was the 13th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army.-Lieutenant Colonel:In 1965, the then Lieutenant Colonel Vaidya was in command of the Deccan Horse...	1 August 1983	31 January 1985	Armoured Corps Indian Army Armoured Corps The Indian Army Armoured Corps is one of the combat arms of the Indian Army. Formed in 1947 from two-thirds of the personnel and assets of the Raj's Indian Armoured Corps. It currently consists of 63 armoured regiments, including the president's bodyguards. The naming of the regiments varies... , Deccan Horse	Padma Vibhushan Padma Vibhushan The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan... , PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then till 1980, it was awarded in recognition to peace-time service of most exceptional order.-External links:... , MVC Maha Vir Chakra The Maha Vir Chakra is the second highest military decoration in India and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It may be awarded posthumously. Literally Maha Veer means extraordinarily brave.-Appearance:The medal is made... (Bar), AVSM Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India given to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the armed forces....
16	General Krishnaswamy Sundarji	1 February 1985	31 May 1988	Infantry Infantry Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...  - Mahar Regiment Mahar Regiment The Mahar Regiment is an Infantry Regiment of the Indian Army. Although it was originally intended to be a regiment consisting of troops from the Mahars in Maharashtra, the Mahar Regiment is one of the only regiments in the Indian Army that is composed of troops from all communities and regions of...	PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then till 1980, it was awarded in recognition to peace-time service of most exceptional order.-External links:... , ADC
17	General Vishwa Nath Sharma Vishwa Nath Sharma General Vishwa Nath Sharma, PVSM, AVSM, ADC, was the 15th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army. He is the younger brother of the late Major Som Nath Sharma, recipient of Independent India's first Param Vir Chakra. Both brothers were educated at the Prince of Wales' Royal Indian Military College,...	1 June 1988	30 June 1990	Armoured Corps Indian Army Armoured Corps The Indian Army Armoured Corps is one of the combat arms of the Indian Army. Formed in 1947 from two-thirds of the personnel and assets of the Raj's Indian Armoured Corps. It currently consists of 63 armoured regiments, including the president's bodyguards. The naming of the regiments varies... , 16 Light Cavalry	PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then till 1980, it was awarded in recognition to peace-time service of most exceptional order.-External links:... , AVSM Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India given to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the armed forces.... , ADC
18	General Sunith Francis Rodrigues Sunith Francis Rodrigues Gen. Sunith Francis Rodrigues, PVSM, VSM, formerly Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army. Born on 19 September 1933 in Bombay. Over the years as Governor, in Punjab, he has generally received a positive response by the Punjabi press and the Punjabi people have accepted him as one their own...	1 July 1990	30 June 1993	Regiment of Artillery Regiment of Artillery The Regiment of Artillery is an operational arm of the Indian Army. Formerly part of Royal Indian Artillery of British Indian Army which itself traces its origins to the formation of Bombay Artillery in 1827...	PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then till 1980, it was awarded in recognition to peace-time service of most exceptional order.-External links:... , VSM Vishisht Seva Medal Vishisht Seva Medal is a decoration of the Indian Armed forces. It is awarded to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the Indian armed forces....
19	General Bipin Chandra Joshi	1 July 1993	19 November 1994	Armoured Corps Indian Army Armoured Corps The Indian Army Armoured Corps is one of the combat arms of the Indian Army. Formed in 1947 from two-thirds of the personnel and assets of the Raj's Indian Armoured Corps. It currently consists of 63 armoured regiments, including the president's bodyguards. The naming of the regiments varies... , 64 Cavalry	PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then till 1980, it was awarded in recognition to peace-time service of most exceptional order.-External links:... , AVSM Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India given to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the armed forces.... , ADC
20	General Shankar Roychowdhury Shankar Roychowdhury General Shankar Roychowdhury served as 18th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army from 22 November 1994 to 30 September 1997.An alumnus of St...	20 November 1994	30 September 1997	Armoured Corps Indian Army Armoured Corps The Indian Army Armoured Corps is one of the combat arms of the Indian Army. Formed in 1947 from two-thirds of the personnel and assets of the Raj's Indian Armoured Corps. It currently consists of 63 armoured regiments, including the president's bodyguards. The naming of the regiments varies... , 20th Lancers 20th Lancers The 20th Lancers is an armoured regiment of the Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1922 by the amalgamation of the 14th Murray's Jat Lancers and the 15th Lancers .-14th Murray's Jat Lancers:...	PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then till 1980, it was awarded in recognition to peace-time service of most exceptional order.-External links:... , ADC
21	General Ved Prakash Malik Ved Prakash Malik General Ved Prakash Malik or General V.P. Malik served as 19th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army from 30-September-1997 till 30-September-2000....	1 October 1997	30 September 2000	Infantry Infantry Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...  - Sikh Light Infantry Sikh Light Infantry The Sikh Light Infantry previously known as The Mazabhi and Ramdasia Sikh Regiment is an elite Regiment of the Indian Army. Its name was changed to the Sikh Light Infantry in 1944. The Sikh Light Infantry is the successor unit to the Mazhabi Sikh Pioneers 23rd, 32nd and 34th Sikh Pioneers...	PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then till 1980, it was awarded in recognition to peace-time service of most exceptional order.-External links:... , AVSM Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India given to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the armed forces.... , ADC
22	General Sundararajan Padmanabhan Sundararajan Padmanabhan Sundararajan Padmanabhan was the Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army Padmanabhan succeeded General V.P. Malik on September 30, 2000.General Padmanabhan was schooled at the Rashtriya Indian Military College...	1 October 2000	30 December 2002	Regiment of Artillery Regiment of Artillery The Regiment of Artillery is an operational arm of the Indian Army. Formerly part of Royal Indian Artillery of British Indian Army which itself traces its origins to the formation of Bombay Artillery in 1827...	PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then till 1980, it was awarded in recognition to peace-time service of most exceptional order.-External links:... , AVSM Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India given to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the armed forces.... ,VSM, ADC
23	General Nirmal Chander Vij Nirmal Chander Vij General Nirmal Chander Vij was the 21st Indian Chief of Army Staff during 1 Jan 2003 - 31 Jan 2005.-Career:General Vij was born in January 1943 at Jammu. He completed his studies at the SRML Higher Secondary School, Jammu and joined the National Defence Academy in 1959. He was commissioned into...	31 December 2002	31 January 2005	Infantry Infantry Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...  - Dogra Regiment Dogra Regiment The Dogra Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army, formerly the 17th Dogra Regiment when part of the British Indian Army.- Formation:The regiment has the Dogra people from the Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and the hill regions of Punjab...	PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then till 1980, it was awarded in recognition to peace-time service of most exceptional order.-External links:... , UYSM, AVSM Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India given to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the armed forces....
24	General Joginder Jaswant Singh Joginder Jaswant Singh General Joginder Jaswant Singh was the first Sikh chief of army staff of India. He served as chief of army staff from January 31, 2005, to September 30, 2007....	1 February 2005	30 September 2007	Infantry Infantry Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...  - Maratha Light Infantry Maratha Light Infantry The Maratha Light Infantry is a light infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was formed as the 103rd Maharattas in 1768, making it the most senior light infantry regiment of the Army....	PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then till 1980, it was awarded in recognition to peace-time service of most exceptional order.-External links:... , AVSM Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India given to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the armed forces.... , VSM Vishisht Seva Medal Vishisht Seva Medal is a decoration of the Indian Armed forces. It is awarded to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the Indian armed forces.... , ADC
25	General Deepak Kapoor Deepak Kapoor General Deepak Kapoor PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC was the 25th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army, appointed on 30 September 2007 and Chairman, Chiefs of Staffs Committee appointed on 31 August 2009....	1 October 2007	30 March 2010	Regiment of Artillery Regiment of Artillery The Regiment of Artillery is an operational arm of the Indian Army. Formerly part of Royal Indian Artillery of British Indian Army which itself traces its origins to the formation of Bombay Artillery in 1827...	PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then till 1980, it was awarded in recognition to peace-time service of most exceptional order.-External links:... , AVSM Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India given to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the armed forces.... , SM, VSM Vishisht Seva Medal Vishisht Seva Medal is a decoration of the Indian Armed forces. It is awarded to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the Indian armed forces.... , ADC
26	General Vijay Kumar Singh Vijay Kumar Singh General Vijay Kumar Singh PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC is the 26th General of the Indian Army and the current Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army.- Early Life and education:...	31 March 2010	Incumbent	Infantry Infantry Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...  - Rajput Regiment Rajput Regiment The Rajput Regiment is a regiment in the Indian Army that is composed primarily of the Rajput clans from India. The British designated the Rajputs as a martial race and subsequently employed large numbers of these warriors in the British Indian Army....	PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal Param Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then till 1980, it was awarded in recognition to peace-time service of most exceptional order.-External links:... , AVSM Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal is a military award of India given to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the armed forces.... , YSM Yudh Seva Medal Yudh Seva Medal is one of India's military decorations for Wartime Distinguished Service. It is awarded for a high degree of distinguished services in an operational context. "Operation context" includes times of war, conflict, or hostilities. The award is a Wartime equivalent of Vishisht Seva... , ADC