New Delhi, June 6 (IANS) Lieutenant General Philip Campose, a Mechanised Infantry officer, has taken over as the new commander of the Jodhpur-based 12 'Konark' Corps, an army press release said Monday.

Campose took over as the General Officer Commanding of 12 Corps from Lt. Gen. Narendra Singh, who has been posted to the Army Headquarters here, the release said.

An alumnus of the Khadakvasla-based National Defence Academy, Campose was commissioned into 9 Gorkha Rifles regiment in 1974 that was converted to a Mechanised Infantry unit in 1982.

Apart from the various requisite higher military courses he attended at premier Indian military institutions, he attended a tactical course in Russia in 1986.

With rich operational and command experience in the desert sector, Campose has commanded a Mechanised Infantry battalion and an armoured brigade in the sector. He has also commanded an infantry division on Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

During his over three-decade career, Campose has held various prestigious staff appointments like colonel general staff of a division in the northeast, deputy director general in the perspective planning directorate at the Army Headquarters and chief of staff of the Strategic Forces Command.

Before taking over command of 12 Corps, Campose was director general perspective planning at Army Headquarters.

He has also done a tenure as part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission in the former Yugoslavia in 1992-93 and as Chief-de-Mission of UN Mission in Northern Iraq in 2000-01.

For his devotion to duty and distinguished service, Campose was awarded the Vishist Seva Medal.