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Commandant of the Indian Military Academy

The Commandant of the Indian Military Academy is a post created in 1932 for the purpose of leading the Indian Military Academy in its education of "gentleman cadets". The Commandant must hold a rank of lieutenant general (three star equivalent) or above. There is no minimum nor maximum term of service in this position though in practice commandants have served anywhere from a few months to 4 years in the position.

History

General Philip Chetwode chose Brig LP Collins (4 Gurkhas) as the first commandant. Brig LP Collins had the task of first acquiring the campus from the railways in Dehradun, and then converting it into an army training institution, taking ten months to do so.[1] On 1 October 1932, the raising day, Brig LP Collins issued a Special Order of the Day "The Indian Military Academy opens with effect from today [...]."[2]

There were a total of 5 British commandants including Brig LP Collins, after which Brig Thakur Mahadeo Singh was appointed as the first Commandant of Indian descent post-independence in 1947.[3] Brig Thakur Mahadeo Singh was followed by Maj Gen KS Thimayya who became the first IMA Commandant to go on to become the Chief of Army Staff in India. Brigadier M.M. Khanna was the first alumni of IMA alumni to be appointed Commandant.[3][4]

Following a recommendation in 1983 by the Ministry of Defence the need was felt that cadets needed to know about application of science in weaponry. Lt Gen Mathew Thomas and all following commandants took note of these changes and implemented them.[5] Lt Gen M Thomas also suggested a change in syllabus, proposing new computer focused teaching methods as well as further emphasis on advanced training. This included sending cadets to the High Altitude Warfare School and the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School among other things.[6] Commandant Lt Gen Himmeth Singh appreciated the difficulties of modern warfare, but emphasized the human factor.[6] His outline of teaching is as follows:

"[...] the process of understanding the soldier must remain an on-going process and our skills in handling him suitably modified on requirement. It is by this process only that we shall get the best out of out men and above all not be found wanting by the men we command."

— Lt Gen Himmeth Singh[6]

Commandants

KS Thimayya, Commandant of IMA 1950-1951, went on to become the Chief of Army Staff in India.
Maj Gen K Zorawar Singh (1964 - 1966)

There have been a total of 49 Commandants[7] so far:

See also

References

  1. ^ Singh 2007, p. 21.
  2. ^ Singh 2007, p. 22.
  3. ^ a b Singh 2007.
  4. ^ a b c d "Lieutenant General SK Saini takes over as 46th Commandant of Indian Military Academy". Jagranjosh. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  5. ^ Singh 2007, p. 189.
  6. ^ a b c Singh 2007, p. 190.
  7. ^ "The Official Home Page of the Indian Army| Commandants of the Indian Military Academy". Indian Army. Archived from the original on 27 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  8. ^ "Commandants of IMA". Indian Army. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Singh 2007, p. 221, Appendix A.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Singh 2007, p. 222, Appendix A.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g Singh 2007, p. 205.
  12. ^ Joshi, Sandeep (11 June 2001). "Army jobs 'less attractive'". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  13. ^ "1964 batch of IMA officers likely to congregate in Doon". The Pioneer. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  14. ^ "Lt. Gen K K Khanna is new IMA chief". Zee News. 30 November 2004. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  15. ^ a b Singh 2007, p. 206.
  16. ^ "Lt Gen Sujlana is new IMA chief". Zee News. 1 October 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  17. ^ "IMA Commandant lt Gen Manvender Singh retires". The Pioneer. 31 May 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  18. ^ "Lt General Balwant Singh Negi takes over as Indian Military Academy Commandant". The Economic Times. PTI. 14 July 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  19. ^ "Lt Gen Saini is IMA Commandant". www.tribuneindia.com. Tribune India.
  20. ^ Pioneer, The. "lt-Gen Santosh Upadhya to be new IMA commandant". The Pioneer.
  21. ^ "Lt General Saini new commandant of Indian Military Academy". The Economic Times. PTI. 11 July 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  22. ^ Pioneer. "87th raising day of IMA celebrated". The Pioneer. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  23. ^ Pioneer, The. "Lt Gen Negi takes over as 49th commandant of IMA". The Pioneer. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  24. ^ "New IMA Commandant Lt General Harinder Singh".
  25. ^ "Lt Gen VK Mishra takes charge as IMA's 51st commandant". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  26. ^ https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/lt-gen-sandeep-jain-takes-over-as-commandant-of-indian-military-academy-586342

Bibliography