Devraj Anbu
{{short description|Indian Army general}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = Lieutenant General
| name = Devraj Anbu
| honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=IND|size=90%|PVSM|UYSM|AVSM|YSM|SM|}}
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image = File:Devraj Anbu VCAS.jpg
| image_size = 240px
| alt =
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| office = 39th Vice Chief of the Army Staff
| president = Ram Nath Kovind
| term_start = 1 June 2018
| term_end = 31 August 2019
| 1blankname = Chief of Army Staff
| 1namedata = Bipin Rawat
| predecessor = Sarath Chand
| successor = Manoj Mukund Naravane
| office1 = General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command
| term_start1 = 1 December 2016
| term_end1 = 31 May 2018
| 1blankname1 = Chief of Army Staff
| 1namedata1 = Dalbir Singh Suhag
Bipin Rawat
| predecessor1 = Deependra Singh Hooda
| successor1 = Ranbir Singh
| birth_date =
| death_date =
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| allegiance = {{flag|India}}
| branch = {{army|India}}
| serviceyears = 7 June 1980 – 31 August 2019
| rank = 20px Lieutenant General
| military_blank1 = Service number
| military_data1 = IC-38654{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=673 |date=16 May 1981|url=http://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1981/O-0960-1981-0020-42638.pdf |publisher=The Gazette of India}}
| unit = 11px 14 Sikh Light Infantry
| commands = 20px Northern Command
20px IV Corps
17 Mountain Division
53 Infantry Brigade
| battles = Operation Parakram
Operation Pawan
Operation Meghdoot
| battles_label =
| military_blank2 = Awards
| military_data2 =
{{plainlist
|
- 20px Param Vishisht Seva Medal
- 20px Uttam Yudh Seva Medal
- 20px Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
- 20px Yudh Seva Medal
- 20px Sena Medal
}}
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}}
Lieutenant General Devraj Anbu, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, ADC is a retired general officer of the Indian Army who served as 39th Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS). He assumed office on 1 June 2018 following the retirement of Lieutenant General Sarath Chand,{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/lt-gen-devraj-anbu-new-vice-chief-of-army-staff-indian-army-5189277/|title=Lt Gen Devraj Anbu is the new Vice Chief of Army Staff|date=2018-05-24|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2018-05-31|language=en-US}} and retired on 31 August 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/outgoing-army-vice-chief-pays-tributes-at-national-war-memorial-1593449-2019-08-30|title=Outgoing Army Vice Chief pays tributes at National War Memorial|date=2019-08-30}}{{cite web|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/naravane-appointed-as-new-vice-chief-of-indian-army-four-army-commanders-appointed/articleshow/70339637.cms|title=Naravane appointed as new Vice Chief of Indian Army, four army commanders appointed|first1=Shaurya Karanbir|last1=Gurung|website=The Economic Times|accessdate=31 August 2019}} He also served as General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command from 1 December 2016 to 31 May 2018,{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/lieutenant-general-devraj-anbu-new-chief-of-northern-command-4366402/|title=Lieutenant General Devraj Anbu new chief of Northern Command|date=2016-11-09|newspaper=The Indian Express|access-date=2017-01-01|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201081243/http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/lieutenant-general-devraj-anbu-new-chief-of-northern-command-4366402/|archive-date=2016-12-01}} prior to that commanding Northern Command, he had commanded IV Corps in the North East.
Early life and education
Gen Anbu is an alumnus of Sainik School, Amaravathinagar, the National Defence Academy, Pune and Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. He also attended the higher command course at Army War College, Mhow and a National Defence College equivalent university at Jakarta, Indonesia.{{Cite web |title=Official Website of Indian Army |url=http://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTempSimple.aspx?MnId=bhXYhO0+Cnkz3L8GmxsMkA==&ParentID=caPYA7Aj8r9Iui1Vsz/MVA== |access-date=2017-01-01 |website=indianarmy.nic.in}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/sainik-school-alumnus-meets-cadets/article5099232.ece|title=Sainik School alumnus meets cadets|author=Staff Reporter|date=2013-09-06|work=The Hindu|access-date=2018-06-01|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}
Military career
He was commissioned into 14th Sikh Light Infantry on 7 June 1980. He has vast experience and has served in all types of operational environments ranging including Siachen Glacier; Counter-Insurgency Operations in Kashmir and Manipur; Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka. He has commanded a unit during Operation Parakram; a 53 Infantry brigade on the Line Of Control; 17 Mountain Division in Sikkim; Indian Military Training Team in Bhutan; IV Corps (Tezpur). He has held staff appointments which include General Staff Operation at the Division level in North-East India, General Staff Operation at Corps Level in Kashmir, and Military observer with UN peacekeeping mission in Namibia (UNTAG).{{Cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2016/nov/09/lt-general-devraj-anbu-to-take-over-as-kashmir-army-commander-1536738.html|title=Lt. General Devraj Anbu to take over as Kashmir army commander|newspaper=The New Indian Express|access-date=2017-01-01|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112133801/http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2016/nov/09/lt-general-devraj-anbu-to-take-over-as-kashmir-army-commander-1536738.html|archive-date=2016-11-12}}{{Cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=179701|title=Lt Gen Devraj Anbu Assumes Charge as VCOAS|website=pib.nic.in|access-date=2018-06-01}}
During 37 years of his career he has been awarded the Sena Medal for Operation Meghdoot, Yudh Seva Medal (2010) for command of 53 Infantry brigade, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for the command of 17 Mountain division, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (2016) and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (2017) for his service as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command.{{cite web|title=390 Republic Day Gallantry and Other Defence Decorations Announced|url=http://www.pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1517875}} He is also the Colonel Of The Regiment of the Sikh Light Infantry .{{Cite web|url=http://pibphoto.nic.in/documents/rlink/2017/jan/p201712502.pdf|title=List of Awardees 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202035239/http://pibphoto.nic.in/documents/rlink/2017/jan/p201712502.pdf|archive-date=2017-02-02}}{{Cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=57292|title=Republic Day Gallantry and other Defence Decoration|website=pib.nic.in|access-date=2018-06-01}}
Honours and decorations
The general officer has been awarded with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2017, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal in 2016, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Yudh Seva Medal in 2010 and the Sena Medal.
| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|colspan="4"|105px {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Uttam Yudh Seva Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Ati Vishisht Seva Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Yudh_Seva_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sena_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Wound_Medal-India.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND Samanya Seva medal.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND Special Service Medal Ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND_Siachen_Glacier_Medal_Ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND_Operation_Vijay_medal.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND Operation Parakram medal.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND Sainya Seva Medal Ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND High Altitude Medal Ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND Videsh Seva Medal Ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 50th Anniversary Independence medal.svg|width=106}} |
| {{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 30 Years Long Service Ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 20YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=IND 9YearsServiceMedalRibbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=UNTAG.gif|width=106}} |
| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |
| colspan="1"|Param Vishisht Seva Medal
| colspan="2"|Uttam Yudh Seva Medal | colspan="1"|Ati Vishisht Seva Medal |
| Yudh Seva Medal |
| Special Service Medal |
| Sainya Seva Medal |
| 30 Years Long Service Medal |
Dates of rank
Personal life
Lt Gen Anbu's father late Shri. Devaraj also rendered his services in Army. They hail from an agricultural family from Madurai, Usilampatti, Vagaikulam village.
He is married to Mrs Gowri Anbu and they have a son who is serving in the Indian Army. He likes yoga, painting and gardening.
References
{{Reflist|30em}}{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}{{Succession box
| title = Vice Chief of Army Staff
| years = 1 June 2018 – 31 August 2019
| before = Sarath Chand
| after = Manoj Mukund Naravane
}}{{Succession box
| title = General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command
| years = 1 December 2016 – 31 May 2018
| before = D S Hooda
| after = Ranbir Singh
}}
{{succession box
| title = General Officer Commanding IV Corps
| years = 17 November 2015 – 24 December 2016
| before = Sarath Chand
| after = Amarjeet Singh Bedi
}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anbu, Devraj}}
Category:Vice chiefs of Army Staff (India)
Category:Recipients of the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal
Category:Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Category:Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:National Defence Academy (India) alumni
Category:Recipients of the Yudh Seva Medal
Category:Recipients of the Sena Medal