Jaipur, July 1 (IANS): Lt General Manjinder Singh took over the reins of Jaipur-based South Western ('Sapta Shakti Command') on Monday with a solemn ceremony at the Prerna Sthal at the Jaipur Military Station, where he paid tribute to bravehearts.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, he was commissioned into the Madras Regiment in December 1986.

In his distinguished and illustrious military career spanning 37 years, he has the distinction of holding important and challenging command and staff appointments in Jammu & Kashmir and on the Western Front.

Lt Gen Singh commanded his battalion in an intense counter-insurgency environment in Jammu & Kashmir, an infantry brigade at the Line of Control, an infantry division as part of the Desert Strike Corps and a corps deployed along the Line of Control in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu & Kashmir.

His staff appointments include Colonel, General Staff (IW) in a corps deployed in an intense counter-insurgency environment in Jammu & Kashmir and Colonel, General Staff (Ops/ Air), Brigadier, General Staff (Ops), Major General, General Staff (Ops) and Chief of Staff in a Command HQs.

He was the Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Policy, Planning & Force Development) till November 30, 2022, and took over as the head of the Army Training Command on December 1, 2023.

His instructional appointments include Instructor, Cl at the Indian Military Academy and Directing Staff, Coordination at the Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT), Bhutan. For his exemplary leadership and devotion to duty towards the nation, he was decorated with the Yudh Seva Medal in 2015, the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2019 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2024.

He is the Colonel of the Madras Regiment since January 1, 2021.

On assuming command, Lt Gen Singh extended warm greetings to all ranks, Veer Naris, veterans, defence civilian employees and families of the Sapta Shakti Command.