Lt. Gen. Rana Pratap Kalita assumed his duties as the new General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Indian Army’s prestigious Eastern Command on Tuesday, succeeding Lt. Gen. Manoj Pande, who became the Deputy army chief. Staff.

Lt Gen Kalita took office after paying tribute to the martyrs at Vijay Smarak, followed by an honor guard at the Garrison Battalion Parade Ground. Previously, he was the General Manager of Manpower Planning and Personnel Services at HQ, MoD (Army), New Delhi.

General Kalita was appointed to 9 KUMAON in 1984 and has extensive operational experience in Sri Lanka, Jammu and Kashmir and the North East. He commanded a Rashtriya rifle battalion in Kashmir, a mountain brigade and an infantry division actively engaged in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir, and a strategically important corps in the northeast.

General Kalita is an alumnus of the Defense Services Staff College, Higher Command, National Defense College and served twice with the United Nations as a Military Observer in Sierra Leone and Chief of Operations in Sudan .

General Kalita was awarded Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishist Seva Medal, Sena Medal, Vishist Seva Medal, Army Chief of Staff Commendation Card and Easter Command Commendation Card GOC-in-C.

LEARN MORE| Lt. Gen. Manoj Pande takes over as new Vice Army Chief