New Delhi: The central government on Wednesday appointed Lt General Anil Chauhan (Retired) as the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

In a statement, the Ministry of Defence, said that the retired Lt General will also function as Secretary to Government of India, Department of Military Affairs.

In a career spanning over nearly 40 years, Lt Gen Anil Chauhan had held several command, staff and instrumental appointments and had extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu & Kashmir and North-East India, the statement read.

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Born on 18th May 1961, Lt Gen Anil Chauhan was commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army in 1981. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, he commanded an Infantry Division in the critical Baramula sector in the Northern Command in the rank of Major General.

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, the statement said.

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The officer superannuated from the Indian Army on 31 May 2021. Even after his retirement from the Army, he continued to contribute to national security and strategic matters.

For his distinguished and illustrious service in the Army, Lt General Anil Chauhan (Retired) was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal.

Lt Gen Anil Chauhan will be the second CDS in the country after Gen Bipin Rawat who died in a helicopter crash in December last year in Tamil Nadu.

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