On 1st July, 2026 Lieutenant General Rajesh Pushkar, AVSM, VSM, assumed the charge as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Southern Command. He succeeds Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain, who has been now appointed as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS).
Lt Gen Rajesh Pushkar Takes Charge of Southern Command
Lieutenant General Rajesh Pushkar has officially assumed charge of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) in Southern Command on 11th of July, 2026.
After taking the charge, he paid tribute to the fallen soldiers at the Southern Command War Memorial before receiving a ceremonial Guard of Honour at the Southern Command Headquarters in the Pune.
He succeeds the Lt Gen Sandeep Jain, who recently assumed the office as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
Who Is Lt Gen Rajesh Pushkar?
Lt Gen Rajesh Pushkar is a senior officer of the Armoured Corps and he is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA).
He was commissioned into the 74 Armoured Regiment in the December 1988.
He had a distinguished military career and it spanning nearly to four decades and held the several key command, staff, instructional, and international assignments.
He has been awarded with the,
- Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM)
- Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM)
These honours recognizes his distinguished service and outstanding contributions to the Indian Army.
Distinguished Military Career
Lt Gen Pushkar has also commanded the formations across the diverse operational environments and strategic theatres.
Some of his notable appointments includes the,
- Commander of an Armoured Regiment in an operational area.
- Commander of the Independent Armoured Brigade.
- Commander of an Infantry Division in the western sector.
- General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 2 Corps (Kharga Corps) which is one of the Indian Army’s premier strike formations.
- Various instructional and staff appointments at higher military headquarters.
International Military Experience
Apart from the domestic operational responsibilities, Lt Gen Rajesh Pushkar has also represented the India in important overseas assignments.
His international experience includes the,
- Serving with the Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT) in Bhutan and contributed to the defence cooperation between India and Bhutan.
- Also served as the Defence and Military Attaché at the Embassy of the India in Moscow with the concurrent accreditation to Armenia and Belarus.
About Southern Command
Its headquarter is located in Pune, Maharashtra and the Southern Command is Indian Army’s one of the oldest operational commands.
It is responsible for the,
- Operational preparedness across the southern and parts of central India.
- Protection of the India’s peninsular and coastal regions.
- Military training and logistics.
- Disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.
- Coordination of strategic military formations.
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