Upendra Dwivedi

General Upendra Dwivedi PVSM AVSM ADC
Official potrait, 2024
30th Chief of the Army Staff
Incumbent
Assumed office 30 June 2024
President	Droupadi Murmu
Preceded by	Manoj Pande
46th Vice Chief of the Army Staff
In office 19 February 2024 – 30 June 2024
President	Droupadi Murmu
Chief of Army Staff	Manoj Pande
Preceded by	M. V. Suchindra Kumar
Succeeded by	N. S. Raja Subramani
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command
In office 1 February 2022 (2022-02-01) – 18 February 2024
Chief of Army Staff	Manoj Mukund Naravane Manoj Pande
Preceded by	Yogesh Kumar Joshi
Succeeded by	M. V. Suchindra Kumar
Personal details
Born	(1964-07-01) 1 July 1964 (age 60) [1] Madhya Pradesh, India
Spouse	Sunita Dwivedi [2]
Alma mater	Sainik School, Rewa National Defence Academy Indian Military Academy United States Army War College
Military service
Allegiance	India
Branch/service	Indian Army
Years of service	15 December 1984 – present [3]
Rank	General
Unit	18 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
Commands	Northern Command IX Corps IGAR (East) 26 Sector AR 18 JAK RIF
Service number	IC-42298W [4]
Awards	Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal

General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM AVSM ADC (born 1 July 1964) is a serving four star general officer of the Indian Army. He is the current and 30th Chief of the Army Staff.^[5][6] He took over as the 30th COAS succeeding General Manoj Pande on 30 June 2024.^[7] He was previously serving as the 46th Vice Chief of Army Staff.^[8] Earlier he was tenanting the appointment of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command,^[9] prior to that he served as the Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (Information Systems and Coordination)^[10] and as the General Officer Commanding IX Corps.^[11]

Gen Dwivedi is an alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa. He joined Sainik School, Rewa in July 1973 where he was classmates with the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi and passed out from the school in 1981.^[12] He attended the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and then the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He was an outstanding sportsman and excelled in both NDA and IMA, where he was awarded the Blue in Physical Training. He continued to excel post commissioning and was awarded the gold medal in the Physical Training Course. He also attended Defence Services Staff College, Wellington & Higher Command Course at Army War College, Mhow. He was conferred Distinguished Fellow in the coveted NDC equivalent course at the United States Army War College in Carlisle, USA. He has a M. Phil. degree in Defence & Management Studies, in addition to the two Masters Degrees in Strategic Studies and Military Science, including one from United States Army War College. He has authored / presented articles in various professional forums / Journals.^[2]

Gen Dwivedi was commissioned into the 18th battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles on 15 December 1984 from Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.^[13] He has commanded a battalion at Chowkibal in Kashmir Valley during Operation Rakshak and the deserts of Rajasthan, a sector of the Assam Rifles in Manipur during Operation Rhino, served in Assam as Inspector General, Assam Rifles and held various other Staff & Command appointments in the North East. He has had a unique distinction of balanced exposure of both Northern and Western Theatres.^[14]

During his illustrious career spanning over 39 years, has tenanted various staff appointments in Headquarter Armoured Brigade, Mountain Division, Strike Corps and Integrated HQ, MoD (Army). Among his previous appointments were as an instructor at the Indian Military Academy, Directing Staff at the Higher Command Wing in the Army War College, he shaped the future generations of the three services and Friendly Foreign Countries. The general officer's two overseas tenures include Somalia, as part of HQ UNOSOM II and Military attaché to the Government of Seychelles. He has been IGAR (East) and Sector Cdr Assam Rifles in intense CT Ops and held various other Staff & Command appointments in the North East where he pioneered the first ever compendium on Indo - Myanmar Border Management. Later as Director General Infantry he steered and fast-tracked Capital procurement cases of weapons for all the three services, leading to significant & visible capability enhancement for our Armed Forces.^[2]

In February 2020, Gen Dwivedi was appointed commander of IX Corps.^[11] A year later in April 2021, he took over as the Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (Information Systems and Coordination).^[10] As DCOAS (IS&C), the officer gave impetus to automation and absorption of niche tech in the Indian Army.^[2]

On 1 February 2022, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi took over as the General Officer Commanding in Chief, Northern Command,^[9] he assumed the post upon superannuation of Lieutenant General Yogesh Kumar Joshi. Gen Dwivedi being a technology enthusiast, he worked towards enhancing the tech-threshold of all ranks in Northern Command and pushed for critical & emerging Technologies like big data analytics, artificial Intelligence, quantum and blockchain based solutions. He was also involved in modernisation and equipping of the largest Army Command of Indian Army, where he steered the induction of Indigenous equipment as part of Atmanirbhar Bharat. He synergised with people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh for convergent nation building outcomes and infrastructure development.^[2]

On 19 February 2024, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi took over as the 46th Vice Chief of Army Staff from Lieutenant General M. V. Suchindra Kumar, who was appointed as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command.^[8]

On 11 June 2024, the Government of India appointed Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi as the next Chief of Army Staff.^[7] On 30 June 2024, General Upendra Dwivedi took over as the 30th Chief of the Army Staff succeeding General Manoj Pande, who superannuated after more than four decades of service to the nation.^[5]

The General Officer is married to Mrs. Sunita Dwivedi, a science graduate, who is a homemaker. Mrs. Sunita Dwivedi has been associated with Aarushi, an Institute for specially abled children, at Bhopal. The couple are blessed with two daughters who are working with NGOs. General Dwivedi is a skilled Yoga practitioner.^[2]

The general officer was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2024^[15] and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2021.^[16] Gen Dwivedi has been awarded three GOC-in-C Commendation cards.^[2]

Insignia	Rank	Component	Date of rank
	Second Lieutenant	Indian Army	15 December 1984[13]
	Lieutenant	Indian Army	15 December 1986[17]
	Captain	Indian Army	15 December 1989[18]
	Major	Indian Army	15 December 1995[19]
	Lieutenant Colonel	Indian Army	16 December 2004[20]
	Colonel	Indian Army	1 April 2006[21]
	Brigadier	Indian Army	13 June 2011 (acting) 17 October 2011 (substantive, with seniority from 30 March 2010)[22]
	Major General	Indian Army	1 December 2016 (seniority from 1 February 2015)[23]
	Lieutenant General	Indian Army	15 July 2019[24]
	General (COAS)	Indian Army	30 June 2024[25]