Devraj Anbu

Lieutenant General Devraj Anbu, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, ADC is a retired general officer of the Indian Army who served as 39th Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS). He assumed office on 1 June 2018 following the retirement of Lieutenant General Sarath Chand,^[2] and retired on 31 August 2019.^[3][4] He also served as General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command from 1 December 2016 to 31 May 2018,^[5] prior to that commanding Northern Command, he had commanded IV Corps in the North East.

Lieutenant General Devraj Anbu PVSM UYSM AVSM YSM SM
39th Vice Chief of the Army Staff
In office 1 June 2018 – 31 August 2019
President	Ram Nath Kovind
Chief of Army Staff	Bipin Rawat
Preceded by	Sarath Chand
Succeeded by	Manoj Mukund Naravane
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command
In office 1 December 2016 – 31 May 2018
Chief of Army Staff	Dalbir Singh Suhag Bipin Rawat
Preceded by	Deependra Singh Hooda
Succeeded by	Ranbir Singh
Military service
Allegiance	India
Branch/service	Indian Army
Years of service	7 June 1980 – 31 August 2019
Rank	Lieutenant General
Unit	14 Sikh Light Infantry
Commands	Northern Command IV Corps 17 Mountain Division 53 Infantry Brigade
Battles/wars	Operation Parakram Operation Pawan Operation Meghdoot
Service number	IC-38654[1]
Awards	Param Vishisht Seva Medal Uttam Yudh Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Yudh Seva Medal Sena Medal

Early life and education

Gen Anbu is an alumnus of Sainik School, Amaravathinagar,^[6] the National Defence Academy, Pune and Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. He also attended the higher command course at Army War College, Mhow and a National Defence College equivalent university at Jakarta, Indonesia.^[7][6]

Military career

He was commissioned into 14th Sikh Light Infantry on 7 June 1980. He has vast experience and has served in all types of operational environments ranging including Siachen Glacier; Counter-Insurgency Operations in Kashmir and Manipur; Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka. He has commanded a unit during Operation Parakram; a 53 Infantry brigade on the Line Of Control; 17 Mountain Division in Sikkim; Indian Military Training Team in Bhutan; IV Corps (Tezpur). He has held staff appointments which include General Staff Operation at the Division level in North-East India, General Staff Operation at Corps Level in Kashmir, and Military observer with UN peacekeeping mission in Namibia (UNTAG).^[8][6][9]

During 37 years of his career he has been awarded the Sena Medal for Operation Meghdoot, Yudh Seva Medal (2010) for command of 53 Infantry brigade, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for the command of 17 Mountain division, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (2016) and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (2017) for his service as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command.^[10] He is also the Colonel Of The Regiment of the Sikh Light Infantry .^[7][11][12]

Honours and decorations

The general officer has been awarded with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2017, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal in 2016, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Yudh Seva Medal in 2010 and the Sena Medal.

Param Vishisht Seva Medal	Uttam Yudh Seva Medal		Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Yudh Seva Medal	Sena Medal	Wound Medal	Samanya Seva Medal
Special Service Medal	Siachen Glacier Medal	Operation Vijay Medal	Operation Parakram Medal
Sainya Seva Medal	High Altitude Service Medal	Videsh Seva Medal	50th Anniversary of Independence Medal
30 Years Long Service Medal	20 Years Long Service Medal	9 Years Long Service Medal	UNTAG

Dates of rank

Insignia	Rank	Component	Date of rank
	Second Lieutenant	Indian Army	7 June 1980[1]
	Lieutenant	Indian Army	7 June 1982[13]
	Captain	Indian Army	7 June 1985[14]
	Major	Indian Army	7 June 1991[15]
	Lieutenant-Colonel	Indian Army	31 December 2002[16]
	Colonel	Indian Army	1 February 2005[17]
	Brigadier	Indian Army	1 August 2008 (seniority from 7 January 2008)[18]
	Major General	Indian Army	1 January 2013 (seniority from 4 April 2011)[19]
	Lieutenant-General	Indian Army	12 October 2015 (substantive)[20]

Personal life

Lt Gen Anbu's father late Shri. Devaraj also rendered his services in Army. They hail from an agricultural family from Madurai, Usilampatti, Vagaikulam village. He is married to Mrs Gowri Anbu and they have a son who is serving in the Indian Army. He likes yoga, painting and gardening.^[7]