Lt General Ajai Kumar Singh assumed the command of Southern Command on November 1, 2022. In a solemn ceremony, Army Commander paid tribute to Brave hearts at Command War Memorial, Pune & reviewed the Guard of Honour.

Profile:

Lt General Ajai Kumar Singh, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, an alumnus of St Gabriel's Academy Roorkee, National Defence Academy and Indian Military Academy was commissioned into the Seventh Battalion of the Eleventh Gorkha Rifles in December 1984. The General officer is a graduate of Defence Services Staff College and has attended prestigious Higher Command and National Defence College courses.

In his 38 years of distinguished military career, he has the distinction of tenating challenging command and staff appointments in varied terrain. He has vast experience in Counter Insurgency, High Altitude, Glaciated and Desert operations.

The General officer commanded the First Battalion of the Eleventh Gorkha Rifles in intense Counter Insurgency environment in Jammu & Kashmir, Independent Brigade Group in the Rann and Creek Sector on Western Front, the Counter Insurgency Force in Sharifabad and TRISHAKTI Corps in North East.

The General Officer has rich experience by virtue of serving in varied Instructional, Staff and Regimental appointments to include Colonel MO at Military Operations Directorate, Brigadier (Discipline & Vigilance), AG's Branch in IHQ of MoD (Army), Additional Director General of Military Operations and Director General (Operational Logistics & Strategic Movement). He has also served as Instructor at Commando Wing, Belgaum, Deputy Assistant Adjutant & Quartermaster General in a High Altitude Sector, Deputy Commandant & Commandant of 11 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre. The General Officer was also Assistant Military Attache (Pension) at Pension Paying Office, Dharan with the Military Wing at Embassy of India in Nepal. He is a recipient of AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, Chief of the Army Staff and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (Central Command) Commendation Cards for his illustrious contribution to the service.

An alumnus of Himalayan and Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling the General Officer is a keen Trekker and Mountaineer having climbed Mount Rathong (22005 ft) in Kanchenjunga Massif. He is a keen sportsman with interest in cycling, Yoga and is an ardent reader of spirituality, mythology, history and nature.

The General Officer was married to Shalini who was a Reikei and Pranic healer with interest in Naturopathy and Yoga and had been actively involved in various welfare activities of troops and families before she left for heavenly abode on April 1, 2020. Their son Abhinav Chauhan & daughter Sanjana are self-employed entrepreneurs in the field of adventure sports, camping and news & entertainment media respectively.

The General officer has assumed the appt of GOC-in-C, Southern Command on November 1, 2022.