Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], January 5 (ANI): Lieutenant General A Arun has taken over the reins of Dakshin Bharat Area as the General Officer Commanding on January 2 at Chennai, according to an official statement on Monday.
Dakshin Bharat Area was previously known as Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala area.
He takes over the new appointment after a successful tenure as the Director-General, Strategic Planning at the Army Headquarters, the statement read.
General Arun is a scholar General and an intuitive leader who has excelled whilst leading troops and in contributing to the cause of nation-building. Born in June 1964 at Dindigul, Madurai, the officer volunteered to join the National Defence Academy in January 1982, despite having secured an All India Rank of 13 in IIT JEE. Commissioned into 8 GRENADIERS on December 14, 1985, he is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, India, Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies, Canberra, Australia and National Defence College, New Delhi.
Across 35 year of illustrious service, the General Officer has fulfilled diverse challenging roles to include raising and commanding a Rashtriya Rifles Battalion in Pulwama (Jammu and Kashmir), Command of Rashtriya Rifles Sector in Handwara and a Mountain Division in North East India.
Seriously wounded in operations in Jammu and Kashmir, the General is a recipient of the Sena Medal for Gallantry, Yudh Seva Medal for Outstanding Leadership in conflict, the Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished leadership and outstanding service, and the Chief of Army Staff's Commendation four times. (ANI)