Lt Gen Harinder Singh, Former Fire And Fury Corps Commander, Takes Over as 50th IMA Commandant

Lieutenant General Harinder Singh on Saturday took over as the 50^th Commandant of the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun. After assuming the charge, Lt Gen Harinder Singh paid his tribute to the Martyrs at the War Memorial in a solemn ceremony recognising their supreme sacrifice for the nation. In his last appointment, Lt Singh served as a commander of the Fire and Fury Corps (XIV Corps). He led several top military level talks with Chinese officials amid standoff in Ladakh.

An alumnus of NDA Khadakwasla, the General Officer was commissioned into 9 MARATHA Light Infantry, one of the oldest regiment of Indian Army. He excelled in Hockey at Academy and is a former Services Hockey player. He later commanded a Rashtriya Rifles Battalion in active counter terrorist operations while deployed in Kupwara Sector. The Officer carries varied operational experience having served in different terrains.

The Officer has the distinction of commanding two different brigades, that includes the command of the most reputed UN Multi-national Brigade deployed in Eastern Congo. He commanded a mountain division in Kashmir & a Corps along active Northern Borders. The General Officer earlier served with Military Operation and Operational Logistics directorates in the rank of Major & Colonel respectively. As a Brigadier, he was instrumental in raising of the Directorate of Indian Army Veterans (DIAV) at the Army HQ. IMA Commandant Lt Gen Jaiveer Singh Negi Retires From Indian Army Today.

He has also been an instructor at IMA, Dehradun and Infantry School, Mhow. The Officer served as a Staff Officer at the UN Mission in Angola. He attended Defence Services Staff College, Higher Comd Course and excelled in research work at the National Defence College, New Delhi for which he was awarded Colonel Pyare Lal Gold Medal. He has also been an international graduate fellow at Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Hawaii, USA.

The Commandant has held two fellowships in his service career. As a Research Fellow at IDSA, New Delhi and later at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore, and published several monographs, papers and write-ups in international and national journals & dailies. The General Officer takes over the Command Baton of the most prestigious Indian Military Academy from Maj Gen JS Mangat, VSM, who has been Officiating after Lt Gen Jaiveer Singh Negi.