Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani (Retd) has been appointed the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). He will also function as Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs, with effect from the date of assumption of charge. The former Army officer will replace General Anil Chauhan, who will be completing his tenure as CDS on May 30 this year.

Lt Gen Subramani is presently serving as military adviser in the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS). He retired from the Army as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS) on July 31 last year.

During his 39-year career in the Indian Army, he also served as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Central Command. For his distinguished service, Lt Gen Subramani has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), Sena Medal (SM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM).

He was commissioned into the 8th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles on December 14, 1985. Lt Gen Subramani has served across a wide spectrum of conflict and terrain profiles during his stint, spanning almost four decades, with the Army.

"He commanded 16 Garhwal Rifles in Counter-Insurgency in Assam as part of Operation Rhino, 168 Infantry Brigade in Jammu & Kashmir and 17 Mountain Division in the Central Sector during a challenging operational environment. He also has the distinction of having commanded 2 Corps, the premier strike Corps of the Indian Army on the Western Front," an official release from the Centre said.