Devraj Anbu Explained

Honorific Prefix:Lieutenant General
Devraj Anbu
Office:39th Vice Chief of the Army Staff
President:Ram Nath Kovind
Term Start:1 June 2018
Term End:31 August 2019
1Blankname:Chief of Army Staff
1Namedata:Bipin Rawat
Predecessor:Sarath Chand
Successor:Manoj Mukund Naravane
Office1:General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command
Term Start1:1 December 2016
Term End1:31 May 2018
1Blankname1:Chief of Army Staff
1Namedata1:Dalbir Singh Suhag
Bipin Rawat
Predecessor1:Deependra Singh Hooda
Successor1:Ranbir Singh
Allegiance: India
Serviceyears:7 June 1980 – 31 August 2019
Rank: Lieutenant General
Military Blank1:Service number
Military Data1:IC-38654[1]
Unit: 14 Sikh Light Infantry
Commands: Northern Command
IV Corps
17 Mountain Division
53 Infantry Brigade
Battles:Operation Parakram
Operation Pawan
Operation Meghdoot
Military Blank2:Awards
Military Data2:

Lieutenant General Devraj Anbu, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, ADC is a retired general officer of the Indian Army who served as 39th Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS). He assumed office on 1 June 2018 following the retirement of Lieutenant General Sarath Chand,[2] and retired on 31 August 2019.[3] [4] He also served as General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command from 1 December 2016 to 31 May 2018,[5] prior to that commanding Northern Command, he had commanded IV Corps in the North East.

Early life and education

Gen Anbu is an alumnus of Sainik School, Amaravathinagar, the National Defence Academy, Pune and Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. He also attended the higher command course at Army War College, Mhow and a National Defence College equivalent university at Jakarta, Indonesia.[6] [7]

Military career

He was commissioned into 14th Sikh Light Infantry on 7 June 1980. He has vast experience and has served in all types of operational environments ranging including Siachen Glacier; Counter-Insurgency Operations in Kashmir and Manipur; Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka. He has commanded a unit during Operation Parakram; a 53 Infantry brigade on the Line Of Control; 17 Mountain Division in Sikkim; Indian Military Training Team in Bhutan; IV Corps (Tezpur). He has held staff appointments which include General Staff Operation at the Division level in North-East India, General Staff Operation at Corps Level in Kashmir, and Military observer with UN peacekeeping mission in Namibia (UNTAG).[8] [9]

During 37 years of his career he has been awarded the Sena Medal for Operation Meghdoot, Yudh Seva Medal (2010) for command of 53 Infantry brigade, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for the command of 17 Mountain division, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (2016) and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (2017) for his service as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command.[10] He is also the Colonel Of The Regiment of the Sikh Light Infantry .[11] [12]

Honours and decorations

The general officer has been awarded with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2017, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal in 2016, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Yudh Seva Medal in 2010 and the Sena Medal.

Param Vishisht Seva MedalUttam Yudh Seva MedalAti Vishisht Seva Medal
Yudh Seva MedalSena MedalWound MedalSamanya Seva Medal
Special Service MedalSiachen Glacier MedalOperation Vijay MedalOperation Parakram Medal
Sainya Seva MedalHigh Altitude Service MedalVidesh Seva Medal50th Anniversary of Independence Medal
30 Years Long Service Medal20 Years Long Service Medal9 Years Long Service MedalUNTAG

Dates of rank

Insignia Rank Component Date of rank
7 June 1980
Indian Army 7 June 1982[13]
Indian Army 7 June 1985[14]
Indian Army 7 June 1991[15]
Indian Army 31 December 2002[16]
Indian Army 1 February 2005[17]
Indian Army 1 August 2008 (seniority from 7 January 2008)[18]
Indian Army 1 January 2013 (seniority from 4 April 2011)[19]
Indian Army 12 October 2015 (substantive)[20]

Personal life

Lt Gen Anbu's father late Shri. Devaraj also rendered his services in Army. They hail from an agricultural family from Madurai, Usilampatti, Vagaikulam village. He is married to Mrs Gowri Anbu and they have a son who is serving in the Indian Army. He likes yoga, painting and gardening.

Notes and References

  1. News: Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) . 673 . 16 May 1981. The Gazette of India.
  2. News: Lt Gen Devraj Anbu is the new Vice Chief of Army Staff. 2018-05-24. The Indian Express. 2018-05-31. en-US.
  3. Web site: Outgoing Army Vice Chief pays tributes at National War Memorial. 2019-08-30.
  4. Web site: Naravane appointed as new Vice Chief of Indian Army, four army commanders appointed. Shaurya Karanbir. Gurung. The Economic Times. 31 August 2019.
  5. News: Lieutenant General Devraj Anbu new chief of Northern Command. 2016-11-09. The Indian Express. 2017-01-01. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20161201081243/http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/lieutenant-general-devraj-anbu-new-chief-of-northern-command-4366402/. 2016-12-01.
  6. Web site: Official Website of Indian Army . 2017-01-01 . indianarmy.nic.in.
  7. News: Sainik School alumnus meets cadets. Staff Reporter. 2013-09-06. The Hindu. 2018-06-01. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  8. News: Lt. General Devraj Anbu to take over as Kashmir army commander. The New Indian Express. 2017-01-01. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20161112133801/http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2016/nov/09/lt-general-devraj-anbu-to-take-over-as-kashmir-army-commander-1536738.html. 2016-11-12.
  9. Web site: Lt Gen Devraj Anbu Assumes Charge as VCOAS. pib.nic.in. 2018-06-01.
  10. Web site: 390 Republic Day Gallantry and Other Defence Decorations Announced.
  11. Web site: List of Awardees 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170202035239/http://pibphoto.nic.in/documents/rlink/2017/jan/p201712502.pdf. 2017-02-02.
  12. Web site: Republic Day Gallantry and other Defence Decoration. pib.nic.in. 2018-06-01.
  13. News: Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) . 1513 . 11 December 1982. The Gazette of India.
  14. News: Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) . 924 . 7 June 1986. The Gazette of India.
  15. News: Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) . 813 . 25 April 1992. The Gazette of India.
  16. News: Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) . 1053 . 31 July 2004. The Gazette of India.
  17. News: Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) . 410 . 25 March 2006. The Gazette of India.
  18. News: Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) . 604 . 10 April 2010. The Gazette of India.
  19. News: Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) . 428 . 22 March 2014. The Gazette of India.
  20. News: Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) . 478 . 20 February 2016. The Gazette of India.