New Delhi: The Indian Army has named Lt General MV Suchindra Kumar as the new Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS). He will be replacing Lt Gen BS Raju as the new Army vice chief.
Before being appointed VCOAS, Lt Gen Suchendra Kumar served as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) and has held various other important assignments, including the White Knight Corps in Jammu and Kashmir.
Lt Gen BS Raju, who was so far holding the Army Vice Chief’s post, has been shifted to South Western Army Command where he would be succeeding Lt Gen AS Bhinder who is set to retire on February 28.
Who is MV Suchindra Kumar?
The General Officer, Lt General MV Suchindra Kumar, is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla, Pune, Maharashtra. He has attended Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Higher Command Course, Mhow, and the National Defence College, New Delhi, as mentioned on the Indian Army’s website.
Apart from these, Lt General MV Suchindra Kumar has also taken courses on ‘Cooperative Security in South Asia’ in Sri Lanka and ‘United Nations Senior Mission Leaders Course’ in Egypt. His military papers have appeared in a variety of professional journals.
Other positions Lt General has served in
The General Officer was commissioned into 1 ASSAM REGIMENT in June 1985. He has held various command positions, including the 59 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion (ASSAM), an Infantry Brigade, and an Infantry Division on the Line of Control. He has also commanded the highly active White Knight Corps in Jammu and Kashmir.
In addition to these, Lt General MV Suchindra Kumar has held the appointments of Additional Director General Military Intelligence and Director General Military Intelligence at the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Army). He also assumed the role of the Colonel of the Regiment of Assam Regiment and Arunachal Scouts on March 1, 2021.
The General Officer has also held various staff and instructional appointments in Infantry School, Mhow, and United Nations Sector Senior Operations Officer in Cambodia, Indian Army Training Team Lesotho, Military Secretary Branch, and Brigadier General Staff in the Eastern Theatre, according to details on the Indian Army’s website.
His stint at the White Knight Corps
The White Knight Corps of the Indian Army, also known as 16 Corps, is responsible for guarding the strategic and sensitive Line of Control (LoC) from Akhnoor in the Jammu district to Poonch in the south of Pir Panjal range besides taking care of the hinterland as well.
Lt General MV Suchindra Kumar took over as the General Officer Commanding (GoC) of the White Knight Corps in October 2020 during the Sino-India standoff in Ladakh. After taking command, Lt Gen Kumar said it was an honour to command such an elite formation with a rich history of Jammu and Kashmir.
As per PTI, He exhorted all ranks to continue working with utmost zeal and enthusiasm and always remain combat-ready to thwart the nefarious designs of adversaries and inimical forces while being in complete synergy with civil administration and paramilitary forces.
Personal life
The General Officer is married to Asha Suchindra, who is an educationalist. The couple has two children- Abhay and Ananya. Their son Abhay is working in Singapore in the finance sector and their daughter Ananya is pursuing medical science (MS) at SMS College in Jaipur.
The General Officer is an amateur half-marathon runner, golfer, and yoga practitioner.