Lieutenant General Manoj Mukund Naravane is set to become the next chief of the 1.3 million-strong Indian Army, official sources said on Monday.
Lt. Gen. Naravane is currently serving as Vice Chief of the Army.
Army Chief General Bipin Rawat is due for retirement on Dec. 31. Before taking charge as vice chief of the Army Staff in September, Lt. Gen. Naravane was heading the Eastern Command of the Army which takes care of India's nearly 4,000-kilometre border with China.
In his 37 years of service, Lt. Gen. Naravane has served in numerous command and staff appointments in peace, field and highly active counter-insurgency environments in Jammu & Kashmir and Northeast.
He has also commanded a Rashtriya Rifles Battalion in Jammu & Kashmir and an infantry brigade on the eastern front.
He was also part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka and had served as India's defence attache at the Indian Embassy in Myanmar for three years.
Lt. Gen. Naravane is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy.
He was commissioned into the 7th battalion, the Sikh Light Infantry Regiment in June 1980.
The General is a decorated officer who has been awarded the 'Sena Medal' (Distinguished) for effectively commanding his battalion in Jammu & Kashmir.
He is also a recipient of the 'Vishisht Seva Medal' for his services as the Inspector General Assam Rifles (North) in Nagaland and the 'Ati Vishisht Seva Medal' for commanding of a prestigious strike corps.
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