General Deepak Kapoor

PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC

Chief Of the Army Staff (COAS)

General Deepak Kapoor assumed charge of the Indian Army, as the 23rd Chief of Army Staff, on 30 September 2007. Born in 1948, he was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery on 11 June 1967. His distinguished career in the Indian Army, spanning an illustrious four decades, is a blend of professional and zealous soldiering, during which he has held varied command and as well as staff appointments. A veteran of the 1971 Indo-Pak War in the eastern theatre (Bangladesh), he is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in Wellington and has completed the Higher Command Course at the National Defence College (NDC) in New Delhi. He served as the Chief Operations Officer for UNOSOM II (United Nations Operation in Somalia - Phase 2) during 1994-95 and was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in January 1996 for his splendid efforts.

General Kapoor commanded the 161 Infantry Brigade in Uri, Jammu & Kashmir which was actively involved in operations along the Line of Control. He led from the front and constantly guided his units in maintaining prime operational readiness and was thus awarded the Sena Medal in January 1998 for his devotion to duty. He commanded the 22nd Mountain Division as part of a Strike Corps during Operation Parakram in 2001-02. He was thereafter deeply involved in counter insurgency operations effectively tackling insurgency in Assam, as Chief of Staff of 4 Corps in Tezpur. On promotion to Lieutenant General, he commanded 33 Corps at Siliguri, West Bengal. For his distinguished service as a Corps Commander, he was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in January 2006. On elevation to the appointment of Army Commander, he commanded the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) in Shimla. Thereafter he moved to spearhead the Northern Command, the largest and most sensitive operational command in the Indian Army, deployed over varied terrain and was once again actively involved in COIN operations. Due to his relentless efforts, he not only brought down the insurgency level and subsequent infiltration, but also won the hearts & minds of the local populace. For his commendable efforts, he was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in January 2007.

General Kapoor has been appointed as the Honorary Aide-De-Camp to the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the President of India. He is also the senior Colonel Commandant of the Regiment of Artillery. As Vice Chief of Army Staff, he has been instrumental in taking critical decisions at the highest level with far reaching implications. Besides conceptualizing the Indian Army's vision for the future, these issues range from man management of the second largest Army in the world, procurement of weapons & equipment to ensuring a high state of operational preparedness at all times. He is also a keen sportsman and besides being an avid golfer, he has played hockey, basketball and tennis at various levels. He has an abiding interest in self improvement and acquisition of knowledge, in pursuance of which he acquired three Master's Degrees in Political Science, Military Science and Business Administration, the latter which he completed at the Indira Gandhi National Open University in New Delhi. He also holds a diploma in Business Management. He is married to Mrs. Kirti Kapoor and they have two children - a daughter and a son, both of whom are married.

Upon taking over as Army Chief, General Kapoor said: "It is with immense pride and humility that I take over the reins of the world’s most professional and second largest Army. To begin with, I pay homage to our gallant soldiers who have made the supreme sacrifice, in the line of duty. The Indian Army has always displayed unparalleled standards of professionalism, valour and un-stinted loyalty to the tri-colour, be it while defending the territorial integrity of the country, countering internal unrest, assisting in natural disasters or overseas, during peace keeping operations. The motto of Service Before Self is supreme in our ethos and is amply demonstrated in all our deeds. My illustrious predecessors have all been visionaries and astute leaders. It shall be my sincere endeavour to consolidate on the foundations laid by them, to uphold the dignity and good name of our Army and take it, along with you, to greater heights. We stand at the threshold of transformation and change, to meet the myriad threats and challenges of the foreseeable future. It shall be my priority to modernize the Army rapidly and upgrade the structures and facilities that support it. I want to assure you that your welfare and that of your families will also be my priority. I assure our citizens that we will strive to enhance the efficacy and professionalism of our Army, so that it is always prepared to meet the challenges with determination and victorious will. I also take this opportunity to extend my good wishes to all ranks and civilians of the Army and their families, as also the veterans, who remain an important source of inspiration."

Source : http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-FORCES/Personnel/Chiefs/164-D-Kapoor.html