Dalbir Singh Suhag: Difference between revisions

{{Use Indian English|date=May 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}

Singh is a third generation soldier who was born on 28 December 1954 to Ishari Devi and Ch Ramphal Singh, a [[subedar-major]] in the [[18th Cavalry Regiment]] of the Indian Army. He is from [[Bisahan, Jhajjar|Bishan]] village of [[Jhajjar district]], [[Haryana]], [[India]].<ref name=ht>{{cite news|title=A Profile of India's 26th Army Chief|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/efeatures.aspx?relid=107770|access-date=31 July 2014|newspaper=[[Press Information Bureau]]|date=31 July 2022}}</ref><ref name=thin14m14/><ref>{{cite news|title=Dalbir Singh Suhag is the new Army chief|url=http://www.moneylife.in/article/dalbir-singh-suhag-is-the-new-army-chief/37412.html|access-date=7 July 2014|publisher=Moneylife|date=14 May 2022}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1140801/jsp/nation/story_18675564.jsp |title=General who lets his dog disobey |access-date=24 February 2018 |archive-date=24 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180224232721/https://www.telegraphindia.com/1140801/jsp/nation/story_18675564.jsp |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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]].<ref name="ht"/><ref name="armyoffice">{{cite web | url=http://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTemp1PTC2C.aspx?MnId=EwaHmaTjAtynthTa6p3I4g==&ParentID=uqmYNkuvIqQW/ETZL5GijA==&flag=ZjIq6t7WRBCGyT82jQ8+hQ== |title=GENERAL DALBIR SINGH, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC |publisher=[[Indian Army]] |access-date=2 April 2022}}</ref><ref name="wife">{{cite news|title=Lt-Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag to be next Army Chief |url=http://www.thestatesman.co.in/news/54542-lt-gen-dalbir-singh-suhag-to-be-next-army-chief.html?page=2 |access-date=7 July 2014 |publisher=The Statesman |date=14 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714203731/http://www.thestatesman.co.in/news/54542-lt-gen-dalbir-singh-suhag-to-be-next-army-chief.html?page=2 |archive-date=14 July 2022}}</ref>

Singh was commissioned into the 4th battalion of the [[5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force)|5 Gorkha Rifles]] on 16 June 1974.{{cn|date=September 2021}} He was an instructor at the [[Indian Military Academy]], [[Dehradun]] after which he served as a [[Company (military unit)|company]] commander during [[Operation Pawan]] in [[Jaffna]], [[Sri Lanka]]. He commanded [[Rashtriya Rifles|33 Rashtriya Rifles]] in [[Nagaland]]. He then commanded the 53 Infantry Brigade, which was involved in [[Counter-insurgency#India|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.<ref name="ht"/><ref name=dna13>{{Cite news |title =Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag will be next vice chief of army|newspaper=DNA|date=12 December 2013| url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-lt-gen-dalbir-singh-suhag-will-be-next-vice-chief-of-army-1934098 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512191911/http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-lt-gen-dalbir-singh-suhag-will-be-next-vice-chief-of-army-1934098| archive-date=12 May 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> He was also appointed as the [[Inspector General#India|Inspector General]] of the [[Special Frontier Force]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Lt-Gen Dalbir Singh appointed next Army chief|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/lt-gen-dalbir-singh-army-chief-indian-army-kargil-division-defence-ministry-general-bikram-singh/1/361689.html|access-date=15 May 2014|newspaper=India Today|date=14 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=CBI turns down Army Chief's request to investigate serving general|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/cbi-turns-down-army-chief-s-request-to-investigate-serving-general-192119|access-date=15 May 2014|newspaper=NDTV|date=30 March 2012|archive-date=17 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517124221/http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/cbi-turns-down-army-chief-s-request-to-investigate-serving-general-192119|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Singh has completed various Indian and foreign courses including LDMC at [[Military academies in India#Tri-service Institutions|College of Defence Management]] in 1997–98, [[National Defence College, India|National Defence College]] in 2006, Executive Course in USA in 2005 and Senior Mission Leaders Course (UN) in [[Kenya]] in 2007.<ref name=tect13m14>{{cite news|title=Lieutenant General Dalbir Singh Suhag named India's new Army chief|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/lieutenant-general-dalbir-singh-suhag-named-indias-new-army-chief/articleshow/35073917.cms|access-date=15 May 2014|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=13 May 2022}}</ref>

Singh replaced Lt Gen S K Singh as the Vice Chief of Army staff (VCOAS) on 31 December 2013. He held this post until 30 July 2014.<ref name="thin14m14">{{cite news|title=Lt Gen Suhag appointed as next Army chief|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/lt-gen-suhag-appointed-as-next-army-chief/article6008291.ece|access-date=15 May 2014|newspaper=The Hindu|date=14 May 2022}}</ref><ref name=dna13/>

On 14 May 2014, [[Government of India]] announced its decision to appoint Singh as next Chief of the Army staff.{{cn|date=September 2021}} His name was recommended by the [[Defence Ministry of India]] to the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) which was headed by then Prime Minister [[Manmohan Singh]]. He assumed charge as Chief of the Army staff on 31 July 2014 following the retirement of General [[Bikram Singh (general)|Bikram Singh]], and served in that capacity until 31 December 2016.<ref name=pib1>{{cite news|title=Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Will be the Next Chief of Army Staff|url=http://pib.gov.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=105072|access-date=15 May 2014|newspaper=[[Press Information Bureau]]|date=14 May 2022}}</ref><ref name="Rediff 01">{{cite web|title=Lt General Dalbir Singh Suhag takes over as new Army chief|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/report/defence-news-lt-general-dalbir-singh-suhag-takes-over-as-new-army-chief/20140731.htm|work=Rediff.com|access-date=31 July 2022}}</ref> He is the second officer from the [[Gorkha regiments (India)|Gorkha Rifles]] to become the Chief of the Army, after the late [[Sam Manekshaw|Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw]].<ref name="ht"/><ref name=thin14m14/><ref name=toi13m14>{{cite news|title=Lieutenant General Dalbir Singh Suhag named new Army chief|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Lieutenant-General-Dalbir-Singh-Suhag-named-new-Army-chief/articleshow/35073133.cms?|access-date=15 May 2014|newspaper=The Times of India|date=13 May 2022}}</ref>

On 7 July 2014, the [[Supreme Court of India]] declined to stay or stall Singh's appointment as next Army Chief,<ref name=ie7jl14>{{cite news|title=SC refuses to stall appointment of Lt Gen Suhag as next Army chief|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/sc-refuses-to-stall-appointment-of-lt-gen-suhag-as-next-army-chief/|access-date=7 July 2014|agency=Indian Express|date=7 July 2022}}</ref> in response to a petition filed by Lt Gen Ravi Dastane challenging his appointment as Eastern Army Commander.<ref>{{cite news|title=Supreme Court refuses to stay Lt Gen Dalbir Suhag's appointment as Army Chief|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/sc-refuses-to-stay-lt-gen-dalbir-suhag-s-appointment-as-army-chief_945620.html|access-date=7 July 2014|publisher=ZeeNews|date=7 July 2022}}</ref> The Bench observed that there is no reason and urgency to stay the appointment <ref name=th7j14>{{cite news|title=Supreme Court refuses to stay appointment of Dalbir Singh Suhag as next Army Chief|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/supreme-court-refuses-to-stay-appointment-of-dalbir-singh-suhag-as-next-army-chief/article6185740.ece|access-date=7 July 2014|work=The Hindu|date=7 July 2022}}</ref> 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.<ref name=ie7jl14/> Attorney General [[Mukul Rohatgi]] representing the [[Government of India]], also justified the appointment, arguing that there was nothing in the allegations levelled and that Singh fulfilled all the criteria for the post including being senior-most in the seniority list. He also said that the ban imposed on Singh in 2012 had been lifted and he had been discharged from all charges.<ref name=th7j14/> Earlier on 10 June 2014, the central government had told the Supreme Court that the alleged lapses which were made as grounds to impose disciplinary ban on Army Vice Chief Dalbir Singh by then Army Chief V K Singh, were "premeditated", "vague" and "illegal".<ref>{{cite news|title=Grounds for imposing ban on Lt Gen Suhag was 'premeditated': Centre to Supreme Court|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-06-10/news/50478320_1_lt-gen-suhag-gen-bikram-singh-show-cause-notice|access-date=7 July 2014|work=The Economic Times|date=10 June 2022}}</ref>

*[[Legion of Merit]] (Degree of Commander) for exceptionally meritorious service as [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|CoAS]] of the [[Indian Army]].<ref name="Sura">{{cite news |last1=Sura |first1=Ajay |title=General Suhag awarded US 'Legion of Merit' |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/general-suhag-awarded-us-legion-of-merit/articleshow/65459051.cms |access-date=28 February 2019 |work=The Times of India |agency=TNN |date=19 August 2018 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190228214533/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/general-suhag-awarded-us-legion-of-merit/articleshow/65459051.cms |archive-date=28 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=General Orders No. 2018–33 |url=https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN12630_GO1833_FINAL.pdf |publisher=Headquarters Department of the Army |access-date=13 December 2020 |location=Washington, DC |date=29 November 2022}}</ref>