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Lt General Oberoi is new GoC-in-C of western command

Lieutenant General Vijay Oberoi on Friday took charge of the western command as its general officer commanding-in-chief from Lieutenant General H B Kala.

Talking to newsmen after being presented the guard of honour at the western command headquarters in Chandigarh, General Oberoi said his priority was to concentrate on professionalism, operational readiness and improving the quality of life of the personnel.

The welfare of the families of martyrs and soldiers who were disabled during operations would also rank high. ''The western command covers Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan andd takes care of the hot border line,'' he said.

General Oberoi is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy. He participated in the Goa operation. A graduate of the Defence Service Staff College, Wellington, and an international fellow of the United States Army War College, General Oberoi has held a number of prestigious staff and instructional appointments, including a tenure as defence adviser with the Indian high commission in Malaysia.

The general also has the rare distinction of commanding an armoured division despite being an infantry officer. He has also commanded an elite strike corps, and served as the director general military operations.

General H B Kala, who has departed to Shimla, will take over the reigns of the army training command. He was commissioned in the Jat regiment in December 1960. Having seen action in the 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars, he has commanded a brigade, division and corps in western sector.

UNI

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