<p>Army Lieutenant General Manoj Pande is all set to become Chief of the Army Staff with incumbent Army Chief General M M Naravane, seen as the frontrunner for the Chief of Defence Staff's post, due to retire by the end of this month.</p>.<p>Lt Gen Pande will take over the reins as he is the senior most in the force after General Naravane.</p>.<p>In the meantime, Gen Naravane is the front runner for the post of Chief of Defence Staff after the passing of General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash December last year.</p>.<p>General Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 12 armed personnel were killed in a chopper crash on December 8, 2021.</p>.<p>Lt Gen Pande became the senior most after a few top officers retired in last three months. The incumbent Lt Gen Raj Shukla who was commanding Army's training command (ARTRAC) retired on March 31.</p>.<p>A few other senior most leaders had retired by January end. Lieutenant General C P Mohanty and Lt Gen Y K Joshi retired on January 31.</p>.<p>This March end, there were also a rejig in the force. Lt Gen S S Mahal assumed command of ARTRAC at Shimla after Lt Gen Raj Shukla hung his boots.</p>.<p>Lt Gen C Bansi Ponnappa took charge of Adjutant General of the Army. Lt Gen JP Mathews took over as the General Officer Commanding Uttar Bharat area.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
<p>Army Lieutenant General Manoj Pande is all set to become Chief of the Army Staff with incumbent Army Chief General M M Naravane, seen as the frontrunner for the Chief of Defence Staff's post, due to retire by the end of this month.</p>.<p>Lt Gen Pande will take over the reins as he is the senior most in the force after General Naravane.</p>.<p>In the meantime, Gen Naravane is the front runner for the post of Chief of Defence Staff after the passing of General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash December last year.</p>.<p>General Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 12 armed personnel were killed in a chopper crash on December 8, 2021.</p>.<p>Lt Gen Pande became the senior most after a few top officers retired in last three months. The incumbent Lt Gen Raj Shukla who was commanding Army's training command (ARTRAC) retired on March 31.</p>.<p>A few other senior most leaders had retired by January end. Lieutenant General C P Mohanty and Lt Gen Y K Joshi retired on January 31.</p>.<p>This March end, there were also a rejig in the force. Lt Gen S S Mahal assumed command of ARTRAC at Shimla after Lt Gen Raj Shukla hung his boots.</p>.<p>Lt Gen C Bansi Ponnappa took charge of Adjutant General of the Army. Lt Gen JP Mathews took over as the General Officer Commanding Uttar Bharat area.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>