Dalbir Singh Suhag

General Dalbir Singh Suhag, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC (born 28 December 1954) is a former Indian High Commissioner to Seychelles and a former Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army. He was the 26th COAS of the Indian Army, serving from 31 July 2014 to 31 December 2016, and Vice Chief of the Army Staff prior to that. He is regarded as the first Jat Chief of Army Staff.

Singh completed his primary education in his native village and then moved to Sainik School, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan for his secondary education in 1965 before joining the National Defence Academy in 1970. He holds master's degrees in Management Studies and Strategic Studies and has also completed the Executive Course offered by the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii as well as the Senior Mission Leaders Course of the United Nations Peace Keeping Centre in Nairobi.

Military career

Singh was commissioned into the 4th battalion of the 5 Gorkha Rifles on 16 June 1974. He was an instructor at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun after which he served as a company commander during Operation Pawan in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. He commanded 33 Rashtriya Rifles in Nagaland. He then commanded the 53 Infantry Brigade, which was involved in counter-insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley from July 2003 to March 2005, and the 8th Mountain Division in Kargil from October 2007 to December 2008. He was also appointed the Inspector General of the Special Frontier Force.

Singh has completed various Indian and foreign courses including LDMC at College of Defence Management in 1997–98, National Defence College in 2006, Executive Course in USA in 2005 and Senior Mission Leaders Course (UN) in Kenya in 2007.

General Officer Commanding III Corps Singh took command of the III Corps, headquartered in Dimapur, in northeast Indian state of Nagaland. In 2012, he was put under a 'Discipline and Vigilance' ban by the then outgoing Army Chief General V K Singh. Singh's unit had allegedly botched a military intelligence operation in Jorhat, Assam, which happened during his tenure as the III Corps commander. The 'Discipline and Vigilance' ban was, however, subsequently revoked by the next army chief General Bikram Singh with the concurrence of Minister of Defence A K Antony. He is the second officer from the Gorkha Rifles to become the Chief of the Army, after the late Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.

Row over appointment On 7 July 2014, the Supreme Court of India declined to stay or stall Singh's appointment as next Army Chief, in response to a petition filed by Lt Gen Ravi Dastane challenging his appointment as Eastern Army Commander. The Bench observed that there is no reason and urgency to stay the appointment and that the petition pertained to Singh's appointment as army commander and hence issues relating to appointment of army chief did not have to be dealt with at this stage.

Honours and decorations

Military awards

General Suhag has received the following medals and decorations throughout his military career: Param Vishisht Seva Medal for services of exceptionally high order to the nation. Uttam Yudh Seva Medal for counter-insurgency operations in the North-Eastern states in addition to the conventional operational role along the Indo-China border. Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for commanding Mountain Division in the Kargil-Dras sector at high altitude near Line of Control. Vishisht Seva Medal for intense counter-insurgency operations in the Kashmir valley.

Dates of rank

Personal life Singh is married to Namita Suhag. She is a graduate from Delhi University with a degree in political science. The couple have three children, two daughters and a son. Known as a sportsperson, he takes special interest in physical activities like riding and swimming. His personal hobbies include daily run of 10 km, horse-riding and playing golf.

In popular culture The character of General Arjun Singh in the 2019 movie Uri: The Surgical Strike played by Shishir Sharma is based on General Dalbir Singh Suhag.