New Delhi: Lieutenant General Baggavalli Somashekar Raju has been appointed the new Vice Chief of Army Staff. On May 1, 2022, Lt Gen BS Raju will take over as Vice Chief of Army Staff.
Taking to Twitter, Additional Directorate General of Public Information, IHQ of MoD (Army) said, "General MM Naravane #COAS & All Ranks of #IndianArmy congratulate Lieutenant General BS Raju on being appointed as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff #VCOAS of #IndianArmy. Lt Gen BS Raju will assume the appointment of #VCOAS on 01 May 2022."
Raju will succeed incumbent Lt Gen Manoj Pande who will take the reins of the 1.3 million-strong Army after Army Chief Gen MM Naravane completes his term on Saturday.
Who Is BS Raju?
Lt Gen Raju is currently serving as the Director General Military Operations and oversaw the Army's overall operational readiness in eastern Ladakh.
An alumnus of Sainik School Bijapur and National Defence Academy, Raju was commissioned into the JAT Regiment on December 15, 1984. With a career spanning over 38 years, Raju had commanded his battalion during "Operation Parakram" in the Western theatre and in Jammu and Kashmir.
He has also served in several important regimental, staff and instructional appointments in the Army headquarters and in field formations including commandant of the Indian military training team in Bhutan.
According to the Defence Ministry, the general officer is a qualified helicopter pilot having carried out operational flying in Somalia, as part of UNOSOM II (UN peacekeeping and humanitarian missions II). He has attended all important career courses in India and has had the privilege of doing his NDC at Royal College of Defence Studies in the United Kingdom.
For his illustrious contribution to the service, he has been awarded Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Yudh Seva Medal.