Surinder Singh (general)

Lieutenant General Surinder Singh, PVSM, AVSM & Bar, VSM is a retired officer of Indian Army who served as General Officer Commander-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Western Command.[1][2][3][4][5][6] He took office of the Chairman, Punjab Public Service Commission on 21 August 2019.[7]

Lieutenant General Surinder Singh PVSM, AVSM & Bar, VSM
Allegiance	India
Service/branch	Indian Army
Years of service	1979 – 31 July 2019
Rank	Lieutenant General
Service number	IC-38266W
Unit	Brigade of the Guards
Commands held	Western Command XXXIII Corps
Awards	Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal & Bar Vishisht Seva Medal

Early life and education

Singh is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Pune and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He has also attended National Defence College, New Delhi and the Higher Command Course at Staff College, Camberley (Surrey).[3]

Career

Singh was commissioned into 2nd battalion Brigade of the Guards in 1979. He has vast experience counter insurgency and operational environments. He has commanded an Armoured brigade, a division in a strike Corps and a XXXIII Corps (Siliguri). He has also held staff appointments at the Military Operations Directorate, the Perspective Planning Directorate at the Army Headquarters, headed the Territorial Army,[8] a military observer with the UN mission in Liberia and other key operational roles.[3][1][9]

He assumed the office of General Officer Commander-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Western Command on 17 September 2016, after Lt General Kamal Jit Singh retired on 31 July 2016,[2][3][4] and served in the same capacity till 31 July 2019. He was succeeded by Lt Gen Ravendra Pal Singh.[6]

During four decades of his career, he has been awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2015, and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 20109.[10] He is also the ‘Colonel’ of The Brigade of Guards.[3][11]

Honours and decorations

Param Vishisht Seva Medal	Ati Vishisht Seva Medal		Vishisht Seva Medal
Samanya Seva Medal	Special Service Medal	Operation Vijay Medal	Operation Parakram Medal
Sainya Seva Medal	High Altitude Service Medal	Videsh Seva Medal	50th Anniversary of Independence Medal
30 Years Long Service Medal	20 Years Long Service Medal	9 Years Long Service Medal	UN Mission in Liberia

Dates of rank

Insignia	Rank	Component	Date of rank
	Second Lieutenant	Indian Army	22 December 1979[12]
	Lieutenant	Indian Army	22 December 1981[13]
	Captain	Indian Army	22 December 1984[14]
	Major	Indian Army	22 December 1990[15]
	Lieutenant-Colonel	Indian Army	31 December 2000[16]
	Colonel	Indian Army	31 October 2004[17]
	Brigadier	Indian Army	1 August 2008 (seniority from 16 July 2007)[18]
	Major General	Indian Army	30 April 2012 (seniority from 11 October 2010)[19]
	Lieutenant-General	Indian Army	24 April 2015[20]

References

1. "Lt Gen Surinder Singh to be army's Western Command chief". http://www.hindustantimes.com/. 2016-08-09. Archived from the original on 2017-10-07. Retrieved 2017-10-07. External link in |work= (help)
2. "Lt Gen Surinder Singh is new Western Army Commander". The Indian Express. 2016-09-17. Archived from the original on 2017-10-07. Retrieved 2017-10-07.
3. "Western Command - Indian Army". Archived from the original on 2017-10-07.
4. "Tribune - Surinder Singh to be western army commander". Archived from the original on 2016-11-15.
5. "Top level changes in the army soon". Archived from the original on 2017-10-07.
6. "Lt Gen Ravindra Pal Singh is next GOC-in-C Western Command, to take over on Oct 1". 2019-07-23.
7. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/ppsc-chairman-2-members-take-oath/820235.html
8. "Press Information Bureau". Archived from the original on 2017-10-08. Retrieved 2017-10- he is the current chairman of punjab public service commission 07. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
9. "Army HQs issues postings of few Lt Generals, no word on GOC-in-C Western Command". The Indian Express. 2016-08-13. Archived from the original on 2017-10-07. Retrieved 2017-10-07.
10. "Press Information Bureau". pib.nic.in.
11. "Press Information Bureau". Archived from the original on 2017-10-08. Retrieved 2017-10-07.
12. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 27 December 1980. p. 1477.
13. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 12 June 1982. p. 847.
14. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 27 April 1985. p. 578.
15. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 22 February 1992. p. 339.
16. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 20 December 2003. p. 1696.
17. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 3 December 2005. p. 2396.
18. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 16 May 2009. p. 963.
19. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 22 March 2014. p. 427.
20. "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch)". The Gazette of India. 12 December 2015. p. 3146.

Military offices
Preceded by K J Singh	General Officer Commander-in-Chief Western Command 17 September 2016 - 31 July 2019	Succeeded by Ravendra Pal Singh
Preceded by	General Officer Commanding XXXIII Corps 2014 - 2016	Succeeded by S K Jha