Sarath Chand
{{Short description|Former Vice Chief of Army Staff}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = Lieutenant General
| name = Sarath Chand
| honorific_suffix = PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image = Sarath Chand cropped.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| alt =
| caption = Sarath Chand and Bipin Rawat during superannuation
| office = 38th Vice Chief of the Army Staff
| term_start = 13 January 2017
| term_end = 31 May 2018
| 1blankname = Chief of Army Staff
| 1namedata = Bipin Rawat
| predecessor = Bipin Rawat
| successor = Devraj Anbu
| office1 = General Officer Commanding-in-Chief South Western Command
| term_start1 = 1 February 2016
| term_end1 = 12 January 2017
| predecessor1 = Arun K Sahni
| successor1 = Abhay Krishna
| birth_date =
| death_date =
| birth_place = Neduvathoor, Kottarakkara, Kerala
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| allegiance = {{flag|India}}
| branch = {{army|India}}
| serviceyears = June 1979 – 31 May 2018
| rank = 20px
| military_blank1 = Service number
| military_data1 = IC-35904Y
| unit = 11 Garhwal Rifles
| commands = 20px South Western Command
20px IV Corps
11 Garhwal Rifles
| battles = Operation Pawan
Operation Rhino
Operation Falcon
| battles_label =
| military_blank2 = Awards
| military_data2 = {{plainlist|
- 20px Param Vishisht Seva Medal
- 20px Uttam Yudh Seva Medal
- 20px Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
- 20px Vishisht Seva Medal
}}
| spouse = Bindu
| relations =
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Lieutenant General Sarath Chand, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM is an Indian politician and former Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) of the Indian Army. He served as Vice Chief of Army Staff from 13 January 2017 till his retirement on 31 May 2018. He joined Bharatiya Janata Party on 6 April 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/elections/former-vice-chief-of-army-staff-sarath-chand-joins-bjp-says-inpired-by-pm-modi/1540066/|title = Former Vice Chief of Army Staff Sarath Chand joins BJP, says inspired by PM Modi|date = 6 April 2019}}
Early life and education
Chand was born in Kottarakkara, Kerala and is the son of late N. Prabhakaran Nair and G. Saradamma. He is an alumnus of Devi Vilasam Upper Primary School, Neduvathoor; Sainik School, Kazhakootam,{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/sainik-schools-to-be-more-affordable/article21824358.ece|title=Sainik Schools to be more affordable|website=The Hindu|date=16 December 2017|access-date=30 June 2018}} National Defence Academy, Pune and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He also attended Defence Services Staff College, Wellington; higher command course at Army War College, Mhow and a National Defence College, New Delhi.{{Cite news|url=http://english.manoramaonline.com/news/nation/lt-general-sarath-chand-kerala-army-vice-chief-bipin-rawat.html|title=Lt Gen Sarath Chand, a Keralite, to replace Bipin Rawat as army vice-chief|newspaper=OnManorama|access-date=2017-01-28|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106191210/http://english.manoramaonline.com/news/nation/lt-general-sarath-chand-kerala-army-vice-chief-bipin-rawat.html|archive-date=2017-01-06}}
Military career
Chand was commissioned into 11th Battalion the Garhwal Rifles in June 1979. He has vast experience spanning over 38 years and has served in all operational theatres and held active combat leadership role at every stage of command. He has commanded a company in the Kargil Sector of Ladakh and another company during Operation Pawan as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka. He has also commanded a battalion in Operation Rhino, targeted at infiltrators in Assam and Operation Falcon, along the Line of Actual control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh; an infantry brigade in the desert, a counter-insurgency force in the Kashmir valley, IV Corps (Tezpur) and GOC-C South Western Command (Jaipur). In addition, he has held numerous staff and instructional appointments including instructor of the commando wing in infantry school . He was also served in the United Nations mission in Somalia (UNOSOM-II). He has also served as Colonel of the Regiment of Garhwal Rifles.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/2018/may/07/lt-gen-cherish-mathson-appointed-colonel-of-regiment-of-garhwal-rifles-1811124.html|title=Lt Gen Cherish Mathson appointed Colonel of Regiment of Garhwal Rifles|work=The New Indian Express|access-date=2018-05-11}}
He assumed the office of VCOAS on 13 January 2017 after General Bipin Rawat was promoted to Chief of Army Staff (COAS).{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/lt-general-sarath-chand-appointed-new-vice-chief-of-army-staff/|title=Lt General Sarath Chand appointed new Vice Chief of Army Staff|date=2017-01-12|newspaper=The Indian Express|language=en|access-date=2017-01-28|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202081135/http://indianexpress.com/article/india/lt-general-sarath-chand-appointed-new-vice-chief-of-army-staff/|archive-date=2017-02-02}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Lt.-Gen.-Sarath-Chand-embarks-on-new-role/article17031152.ece|title=Lt. Gen. Sarath Chand embarks on new role|last=Correspondent|first=Special|newspaper=The Hindu|language=en|access-date=2017-01-28|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008155849/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Lt.-Gen.-Sarath-Chand-embarks-on-new-role/article17031152.ece|archive-date=2017-10-08}}{{Cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=Release%20Id%20:157332|title=Press Information Bureau|access-date=2017-01-28|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202045822/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=Release%20Id%20%3A157332|archive-date=2017-02-02}} and retired on 31 May 2018, succeeded by Lt General Devraj Anbu.{{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}}
During 38 years of his career he has been awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2006, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2014, the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal in 2016 {{Cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=Release%20Id%20:146129|title=Press Information Bureau|access-date=2017-01-28|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202045819/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=Release%20Id%20%3A146129|archive-date=2017-02-02}}{{Cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=Release%20Id%20:135773|title=Press Information Bureau|access-date=2017-01-28|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202045816/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=Release%20Id%20%3A135773|archive-date=2017-02-02}} and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2018.{{cite web|title=390 Republic Day Gallantry and Other Defence Decorations Announced|url=http://www.pib.nic.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1517875}}
Honours and decorations
| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
| |{{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=Vishisht_Seva_Medal_ribbon.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 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}} |
| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" | |
| |Param Vishisht Seva Medal
| | |
| Ati Vishisht Seva Medal | |
| Sainya Seva Medal | |
| 30 Years Long Service Medal | UNOSOM II |
Dates of rank
Personal life
He is married to Bindu and they have two sons; Abhilash Chand, a major in the Indian Army Corps of Engineers and Abhijit Chand, a former naval lieutenant.
References
{{Reflist}}{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}{{Succession box
| title = General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief South Western Command
| years = 1 February 2016 – 12 January 2017
| before = Arun Kumar Sahni
| after = Abhay Krishna
}}
{{succession box
| title = General Officer Commanding IV Corps
| years =
| before =
| after =
}}{{Succession box
| title = Vice Chief of Army Staff
| years = 13 January 2017 – 31 May 2018
| before = Bipin Rawat
| after = Devraj Anbu
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Chief of the Army Staff India}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chand, Sarath}}
Category:Vice chiefs of Army Staff (India)
Category:Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Category:Recipients of the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal
Category:National Defence Academy (India) alumni
Category:Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:National Defence College, India alumni
Category:Recipients of the Vishisht Seva Medal