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| {{Short description|Indian army officer}}
| | #REDIRECT [[Bikram Singh]]{{R from incomplete disambiguation}} |
| {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
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| {{Infobox officeholder
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| | honorific_prefix = [[General (India)|General]]
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| | image = File:Gen Bikram Singh.jpg
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| | image_size = 200px
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| | caption =
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| | imagesize =
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| | name = Bikram Singh
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| | honorific_suffix = [[PVSM]], [[Uttam Yudh Seva Medal|UYSM]], [[AVSM]], [[Sena Medal|SM]], [[Vishisht Seva Medal|VSM]], [[Aide-de-camp|ADC]]
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| | office = 24th [[Chief of Army Staff (India)|Chief of the Army Staff]]
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| | term_start = 1 June 2012
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| | term_end = 31 July 2014
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| | president = [[Prathiba Patil]]<br>[[Pranab Mukherjee]]
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| | primeminister = [[Manmohan Singh]]<br>[[Narendra Modi]]
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| | predecessor = [[V. K. Singh]]
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| | successor = [[Dalbir Singh Suhag]]
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| | death_date =
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| | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1952|7|19|df=y}}
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| | birth_place = [[Amritsar]], [[East Punjab]], [[India]]
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| | death_place =
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| | placeofburial =
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| | nickname =
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| | allegiance = {{flag|India}}
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| | branch = {{army|India}}
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| | serviceyears = 31 March 1972 – 31 July 2014
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| | rank = [[File:General of the Indian Army.svg|15px]] [[General (India)|General]]
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| | commands = [[Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee|Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee]]<br>[[Chief of Army Staff (India)|Chief of the Army Staff]]<br>[[File:IA_Eastern_Command.jpg|20px]] [[Eastern Command (India)|Eastern Command]]<br>Director-General, Staff Duties<br>[[XV Corps (India)|XV Corps]]<br>[[MONUSCO|MONUSCO Eastern Division]]<br>[[10th Indian Infantry Division|10th Infantry Division]]<br/>[[Rashtriya Rifles]]
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| | unit = [[Sikh Light Infantry]]
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| | battles =
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| | awards = [[File:Param Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|20px]] [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]<br>[[File:Ati Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|20px]] [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]<br>[[File:Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|20px]] [[Vishisht Seva Medal]]<br>[[File:Uttam Yudh Seva Medal ribbon.svg|20px]] [[Uttam Yudh Seva Medal]]<br>[[File:Sena Medal ribbon.svg|20px]] [[Sena Medal]]<br>[[File:US Legion of Merit Commander ribbon.png|20px]] [[Legion of Merit|Commander of the Legion of Merit]]
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| | spouse = Surjeet Kaur
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| | alma_mater = [[National Defence Academy]]<br>[[Indian Military Academy]] <br> [[United States Army War College]]
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| | laterwork =
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| }}
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| [[General (India)|General]] '''Bikram Singh''', {{Small|[[Param Vishisht Seva Medal|PVSM]], [[Uttam Yudh Seva Medal|UYSM]], [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal|AVSM]], [[Sena Medal|SM]], [[Vishisht Seva Medal|VSM]], [[Aide-de-camp|ADC]]}} <ref name="ibnknow">{{cite web|url=http://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTemp1PTC2C.aspx?MnId=xeJc3XP5Xi0gVSsqSjklJA==&ParentID=MwLOPn3l7BWODujIQNqObg==&flag=GaMXwIrIb4r/oM2QoLOXzQ== |title=Chief of the Army Staff |publisher=indianarmy.nic.in |access-date=1 June 2012}}</ref> (born 1952) is a retired Indian army officer who served as the 24th [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of Army Staff]] (COAS) of the [[Indian Army]]. Previously the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the army's [[Eastern Command (India)|Eastern Command]], he succeeded [[Vijay Kumar Singh|General V. K. Singh]] as COAS on May 31, 2012.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/know-your-new-army-chief-general-bikram-singh-485869|title=Know your new army chief, General Bikram Singh|work=NDTV}}</ref> He retired on 31 July 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/lt-gen-dalbir-singh-suhag-take-army-chief-today-1642409.html|title=Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag to take over as army chief today|date=31 July 2014|publisher=First Post|location=New Delhi|access-date=31 July 2014}}</ref> He is the second Sikh to be COAS, the first having been [[Joginder Jaswant Singh|General J. J. Singh]].<ref>{{cite news |agency=PPI |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/344959/lt-general-bikram-singh-next-indian-army-chief/ |title=Lt General Bikram Singh to succeed Indian army chie |work=Express Tribune |access-date=31 May 2012}}</ref> He was also the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC) of the Indian armed forces.<ref>{{cite news |title=General Bikram Singh takes over as most senior military chief|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-12-30/india/45708640_1_cosc-next-iaf-chief-acm-browne|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102132505/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-12-30/india/45708640_1_cosc-next-iaf-chief-acm-browne|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 January 2014|access-date=3 January 2014|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=30 December 2013}}</ref>
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| [[File:Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Gen. Raymond T. Odierno speaks with Gen. Bikram Singh, chief of staff of the Indian Army, during an office call to the Pentagon in Washington, Dec. 5, 2013 131205-A-KH856-269.jpg|250px|thumbnail|[[Chief of Staff of the United States Army]], General [[Raymond T. Odierno]] speaking with Singh during an office call to [[The Pentagon]] in December 2013.]]
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| ==Military career==
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| Born at Amritsar, he spent his early childhood with his family at Jammu. In 1962, he joined the Punjab Public School, Nabha.{{cn|date=September 2021}} The future chief had considered becoming a doctor as he was an exceptional student of Zoology and Biology. But the wars of 1962 and 1965 motivated him to join the NDA in 1968. When asked whether he ever regrets the choice made, Bikram said, "If I were ever to be born again, I would only join the Indian Army."<ref name=":0" />
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| A graduate of the 40th course at the [[National Defence Academy]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nda.nic.in/chief-of-staff.html |title=Chiefs of Staff |publisher=National Defence Academy |access-date=10 July 2012}}</ref> Singh was commissioned into the [[Sikh Light Infantry]] on 31 March 1972. On passing out from IMA, he was awarded J&K Rifles Gold Medal in Leadership and Tactics and the Shrinagesh trophy in firing. He was adjudged the 'Best Young Officer' at the Young Officer's course at the Infantry School and was also awarded both the Commando Dagger for being the best commando and the 'Best in Tactics' trophy. He later was an instructor at the Commando and Weapons Wings of the Infantry School.<ref name="NDTV">{{cite news |url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/know-your-new-army-chief-general-bikram-singh-220536 |title=Know your new army chief, General Bikram Singh |work=ndtv.com |date=31 May 2012 |access-date=31 May 2012}}</ref>
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| He is also a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Higher Command Course at Army War College, Mhow and US Army War College, Pennsylvania, USA, where he also won the ‘Annual Public Speaking Award’. Later in December 2013, he was inducted into the US Army War College ‘International Fellows Hall of Fame’. On 18 October 2013, he was awarded ‘The Legion of Merit’ by the United States government for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services.
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| The General’s Academic Qualifications include MSc (Defence Studies) from Madras University in 1986, M Phil (Defence & Management Studies) from Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore in 1997 and Master of Strategic Studies from US Army War College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, USA in 2004. In addition, the General was conferred with two Honorary Degrees of ‘Doctorate of Science’ by SGGS World University, Punjab in 2016 by the Chief Minister of Punjab and GNDU, Amritsar on 31 May 2018 by the Union HRD Minister Sh. Prakash Javadekar.
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| Gen Bikram Singh has served in three UN missions in Nicaragua (ONUCA), El Salvador (ONUSAL) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC). While in the first two missions he was the Chief operations Officer, in MONUC, he was the General Officer Commanding of a Multinational Division in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His Division contributed immensely in the initiation of ‘Goma Peace Process’. During his tenure in Congo, the current [[Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|Chief of Army Staff]] of the [[Pakistan Army]] [[Qamar Javed Bajwa]] served under his command as a brigade commander.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Pandit|first1=Rajat|date=November 27, 2016|title=General Qamar Javed Bajwa: Will Qamar Javed Bajwa be as hostile as Raheel Sharif to India?|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/qamar-javed-bajwa-pakistans-new-army-chief-implications-for-india/articleshow/55641190.cms|access-date=2021-06-25|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>
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| He has been the President of Indian Golf Union from 2012 to 2013 and the President of Indian Polo Association from June 2012 to 31 July 2014
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| After completing the Higher Command Course, he served his first tenure as a Director in the Military Operations (MO) Directorate. The tenure coincided with the [[Kargil War]] and he was the official spokesperson of the Army during that period. He went on to serve four important tenures at Army HQ: an additional tenure in the MO Directorate as the Deputy Director General, two tenures in the Perspective Planning Directorate, as the Deputy Director General of Perspective Planning (Strategy) and later, as the Additional Director General. He was posted back to the Army HQ as a Lieutenant General to serve as the Director General Staff Duties before taking over as Eastern Army Commander.<ref name="NDTV"/> Colleagues remember him for being a 'soldier's soldier' for spending time and working hard with his troops on the ground.
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| He has held positions of [[General officer commanding#Usage in the Indian Army|General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief]] [[Eastern Command (India)|Eastern Command]], [[XV Corps (India)|XV Corps]], GOC [[10th Indian Infantry Division|10th Infantry Division]], Commander of Rashtriya Rifles Sector and GOC of the Multi-National Eastern Division in the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]].<ref name="NDTV"/> He was wounded while posted as a [[Brigadier]] in [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu & Kashmir]], where he has spent much of his service.<ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.indianexpress.com/news/i-have-shed-my-blood-in-kashmir-valley-army-chief/972128/| title= I have shed my blood in Kashmir Valley: Army Chief| date= 9 July 2012}}</ref>
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| ==Retirement==
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| Bikram Singh retired as Chief of Army Staff on 31 July 2014. He was succeeded by [[General (India)|General]] [[Dalbir Singh Suhag]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pib.gov.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=105072 |title=Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Will be the Next Chief of Army Staff |publisher=Ministry of Defence |access-date=14 May 2014}}</ref>
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| Post retirement he has continuously expressed views on strategic [[XVII Corps (India)|Mountain Strike Corps (MSC)]], with presentations.<ref>[https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-china-stand-off-general-bikram-singh-political-efforts-shouldnt-lull-us-into-complacency-6465674/ General Bikram Singh: ‘Political efforts shouldn’t lull us into complacency’][https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/army-s-mountain-strike-corps-gets-10-000-additional-troops-firepower-for-ops-along-china-border-1789122-2021-04-09][https://theprint.in/defence/as-tensions-with-china-continue-beefed-up-mountain-strike-corps-reaches-arunachal-for-exercise/756844/]</ref>
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| ==Awards and decorations==
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| {| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
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| |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Param Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
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| |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Uttam Yudh Seva Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
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| |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Ati Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
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| |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sena Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
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| |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
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| |[[File:Wound Medal-India.svg|105px]]
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| |[[File:India General Service Medal 1947.svg|105px]]
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| |[[File:IND Special Service Medal Ribbon.svg|105px]]
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| |[[File:IND Sangram Medal Ribbon.svg|105px]]
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| |[[File:IND Operation Vijay medal.svg|105px]]
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| |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND Operation Parakram medal.svg|width=106}}
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| |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND Sainya Seva Medal Ribbon.svg|width=106}}
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| |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND High Altitude Medal Ribbon.svg|width=106}}
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| |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND Videsh Seva Medal Ribbon.svg|width=106}}
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| |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 50th Anniversary Independence medal.svg|width=106}}
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| |[[File:IND 25th Anniversary Independence medal.svg|105px]]
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| |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 30 Years Long Service Ribbon.svg|width=106}}
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| |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 20YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|width=106}}
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| |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 9YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|width=106}}
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| |[[File:ONUSAL Medal bar.gif|104px]]
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| |[[File:ONUCA Medal bar.gif|104px]]
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| |[[File:MONUC Medal bar.gif|104px]]
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| |colspan="4"|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=US Legion of Merit Commander ribbon.png|width=90}}
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| |}
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| {| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
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| |[[Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
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| |[[Uttam Yudh Seva Medal]]
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| |[[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
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| |[[Sena Medal]]
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| |[[Vishisht Seva Medal]]
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| |[[Wound Medal (India)|Wound Medal]]
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| |[[General Service Medal 1947|General Service Medal - Mizo Hills]]
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| |[[Indian military decorations#Long service awards|Special Service Medal]]
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| |[[Sangram Medal]]
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| |[[Operation Vijay Medal]]
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| |[[Operation Parakram Medal]]
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| |[[Sainya Seva Medal]]
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| |[[Indian military decorations#Long service awards|High Altitude Service Medal]]
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| |[[Videsh Seva Medal]]
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| |[[Indian military decorations#Long service awards|50th Independence Anniversary Medal]]
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| |[[Indian military decorations#Long service awards|25th Independence Anniversary Medal]]
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| |[[Indian military decorations#Long service awards|30 Years Long Service Medal]]
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| |[[Indian military decorations#Long service awards|20 Years Long Service Medal]]
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| |[[Indian military decorations#Long service awards|9 Years Long Service Medal]]
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| |[[ONUSAL]]
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| |[[MONUC]]
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| |[[ONUCA]]
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| |colspan="4"|Commander of the [[Legion of Merit]] (United States)
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| |}
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| ==Dates of rank==
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| {|class="wikitable" style="background:white"
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| ! Insignia !! Rank !! Component !! Date of rank
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| |align="center" |[[File:Second Lieutenant of the Indian Army.svg|35px]] || [[Second Lieutenant]] || [[Indian Army]] || 31 March 1972<ref name="commission">{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=1256 |date=3 November 1973 |url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1973/O-1287-1973-0044-57336.pdf |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
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| |align="center" |[[File:Lieutenant_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant]] || Indian Army || 31 March 1974<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=984 |date=24 August 1974 |url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1974/O-1255-1974-0034-55611.pdf |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
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| |align="center" |[[File:Captain_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Captain (armed forces)|Captain]] || Indian Army || 31 March 1978<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=671 |date=8 July 1978 |url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1978/O-1094-1978-0027-48193.pdf |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
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| |align="center" |[[File:Major_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Major]] || Indian Army || 31 July 1984<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=652 |date=11 May 1985 |url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1985/O-0780-1985-0019-34598.pdf |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
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| |align="center" |[[File:Lieutenant_Colonel_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant-Colonel]] || Indian Army || 1 April 1992<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=323 |date=5 February 1994 |url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1994/O-0361-1994-0006-14309.pdf |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
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| |align="center" |[[File:Colonel_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Colonel]] || Indian Army || 1 January 1995<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=175 |date=1 February 1997 |url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1997/O-0205-1997-0005-7654.pdf |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
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| |align="center" |[[File:Brigadier_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Brigadier]] || Indian Army || 29 March 2002<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=2491 |date=17 December 2005 |url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2005/W_51_2012_115.pdf |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
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| |align="center" |[[File:Major_General_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Major general#India|Major General]] || Indian Army || 1 March 2006<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=605 |date=14 April 2007 |url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2007/W_15_2011_062.pdf |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
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| |align="center" |[[File:Lieutenant_General_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[Lieutenant-General]] || Indian Army || 25 November 2008 (seniority from 1 November)<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=565 |date=21 March 2009 |url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2009/W_12_2011_091.pdf |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
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| |align="center" |[[File:General_of_the_Indian_Army.svg|35px]] || [[General (India)|General]]<br>(COAS) || Indian Army || 1 June 2012<ref>{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=1719 |date=17 November 2012 |url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2012/W_46_2012_135.pdf |publisher=The Gazette of India}}</ref>
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| |-
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| |}
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| ==Family==
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| Bikram Singh is married to Surjeet Kaur and the couple has two children.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Bikram-Singh-assumes-charge-as-new-Army-chief/articleshow/13684772.cms | title= Bikram Singh assumes charge as new Army chief| date=31 May 2012 | work=The Times Of India}}</ref>
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| ==References==
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| {{Reflist|2}}
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| ==External links==
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| {{Commons category|Bikram Singh}}
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| * [http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2957641.ece Bikram Singh Army Chief]
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| {{s-start}}
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| {{s-mil}}
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| {{succession box
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| | before = [[Norman Anil Kumar Browne]]
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| |title = [[Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee]]
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| | years = 2014
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| | after = [[Arup Raha]]}}
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| {{succession box | before = [[Vijay Kumar Singh]]
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| |title = [[Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army|Chief of Army Staff]]
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| | years = 2012–2014
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| | after = [[Dalbir Singh Suhag]]}}
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| {{succession box
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| |before = [[Vijay Kumar Singh]]
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| |title = [[General officer commanding#Usage in the Indian Army|General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief]] [[Eastern Command (India)|Eastern Command]]
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| |years = 2010 - 2012
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| |after =[[Dalbir Singh Suhag]]}}
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| {{S-end}}
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| {{Chief of Defence Staff (India)}}
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| {{Chief of the Army Staff India}}
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| {{Authority control}}
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| {{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Bikram}}
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| [[Category:Living people]]
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| [[Category:Chiefs of Army Staff (India)]]
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| [[Category:Indian generals]]
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| [[Category:Indian Sikhs]]
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| [[Category:Punjabi people]]
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| [[Category:Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal]]
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| [[Category:United States Army War College alumni]]
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| [[Category:National Defence Academy (India) alumni]]
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| [[Category:Recipients of the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal]]
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| [[Category:Recipients of the Vishisht Seva Medal]]
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| [[Category:Recipients of the Sena Medal]]
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| [[Category:1952 births]]
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| [[Category:Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal]]
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| [[Category:Army War College, Mhow alumni]]
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