Lt Gen Surinder Singh is new Western Army Commander

The Western Command has been without a full-time Army Commander since July 31 and though Lt Gen Surinder was expected to take over the command, the actual orders were, inexplicably ,delayed.

Commissioned in 1979 in the Brigade of Guards, Lt Gen Surinder Singh has commanded a Guards Battalion (mechanised), an armoured brigade and an infantry division. He has just finished his tenure as General Officer Commanding of 33 Corps in West Bengal, which has extensive deployment on the Indo-Tibetan border.

Lt Gen Soni was also commissioned in 1979 and has commanded an armoured regiment, armoured brigade and the Patiala-based 1 Armoured Division. He was GOC of Bathinda-based 10 Corps and has been attached to South Western Command since end of June this year awaiting his next posting. He takes over the Command of ARTRAC in Shimla after Lt Gen PM Hariz, the previous incumbent, was moved as GOC-in-C Southern Command in Pune.