New Delhi: Lieutenant General Baggavalli Somashekar Raju will take over as the new Vice Chief of Army Staff on May 1, 2022. He succeeds Lt-General Manoj Pande, who took over as the next Army chief on April 30, 2022.

Prior to appointment as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, the General Officer was tenanting the appointment of Director General Military Operations during the standoff on the LAC. Lt Gen BS Raju, an alumnus of Sainik School Bijapur and National Defence Academy, was commissioned in the JAT Regiment on December 15, 1984.

The General officer is a qualified helicopter pilot having carried out operational flying in Somalia, as part of UNOSOM II. He commanded his Battalion during Operation Parakram in the Western Theatre and in Jammu and Kashmir. He also holds the distinction of commanding the Uri brigade along the Line of Control, a Counter Insurgency Force and the Chinar Corps in the Kashmir Valley. The General Officer also served as the Commandant, Indian Military Training Team in Bhutan.

During his career spanning 38 years, he has tenanted many important regimental, staff and instructional appointments in the Army Head Quarters and in field formations to include, Colonel Military Secretary Legal in Military Secretary branch, Brigadier General Staff of the operationally active White Knight Corps, Deputy Director General Military Operations & Director General Staff Duties.

Lt Gen Raju has attended all important career courses in India and did his NDC at Royal College of Defence Studies, United Kingdom. He also holds a distinguished Master’s programme degree in Counter Terrorism at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, United States.

He has been awarded Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Yudh Seva Medal for his contribution to the service.