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Who is Manoj Mukund Naravane? Ex-Indian Army chief at the centre of Rahul Gandhi vs Modi Government in Lok Sabha
General MM Narvane served as the 27th chief of the Indian Army from December 31 2019, until his superannuation on April 30 2022.
Former Indian Army chief General MM Naravane's unpublished memoir became the centre of a huge ruckus in the Lok Sabha during the Budget Session on Monday, as Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi sought to quote a magazine article that carried excerpts from the book's typescript.
General Narvane served as the 27th chief of the Indian Army after taking over as COAS from General Bipin Rawat on 31 December 2019. He also served as the temporary Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee from December 15 2021, until his superannuation on April 30 2022.
Rahul Gandhi, seeking to counter the BJP's charge of “Congress not being patriotic” on Monday, mentioned a phrase “, Chinese tanks in Doklam”, from the excerpts, at which defence minister Rajnath Singh got up to interject.
Chaos ensued in the Lok Sabha as the opposition and the treasury benches came to loggerheads, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi also present in the House. The Lok Sabha was subsequently adjourned till 3 PM, but not before putting General MM Naravane and his unpublished book at the centre of the conversation.
Who is General Manoj Mukund Naravane?
Born on April 22, 1960, in Pune, General MM Naravane is the son of a former Indian Air Force officer. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Pune, and the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He also has an M.Phil degree in defence studies.
Naravane was commissioned into the 7th Battalion of the Sikh Light Infantry in June 1980. He later commanded the 2nd Battalion (SikhLi) of the Rashtriya Rifles in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the 106 Infantry Brigade. Naravane has also commanded the Assam Rifles and served in Counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir and the Northeast.
On December 16, 2019, General Naravane was announced as the successor of General Rawat, who relinquished the office of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) in December 2019. He retired from the post in April 2022.
About General MM Naravane's book, at the centre of controversy in the Lok Sabha
Some extracts from General MM Naravane's memoir, which was set for publication in 2024, were published by a news agency and several outlets in December 2023.
Pre-orders were also taken by Amazon and other e-commerce platforms for the book, titled ‘Four Stars of Destiny’, and to be published by Penguin. It is reportedly held up pending government permissions. Amazon still shows a listing, but it's unavailable for orders.
The accompanying marketing text says: “In 2019, General Manoj Mukund Naravane became the twenty-eighth Chief of the Indian Army. His journey to the highest echelons of the Indian Armed Forces was not short of events, both exciting and challenging.”
“In his memoirs, General Naravane recounts the myriad experiences that shaped his character, from his childhood to his years in the Services and beyond. From his first encounter with the Chinese as a young officer in Sikkim to dealing with them in Galwan when he was Chief, from daily incidents of firing across the LC to implementing a ceasefire with Pakistan, General Naravane takes us through his distinguished career spanning over four decades that saw him serve in all corners of the country," it adds.
“This is a specialist’s take on the things that make our forces unique, particularly those that deal with the planning and conduct of operations―the raison d’être of the Army. In Four Stars of Destiny, General Naravane shares lessons on leadership and management with universal applicability, and gives us an insider’s perspective on what else needs to be done to make the Armed Forces a more potent instrument of national power, ready to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. General Naravane’s life and career illustrate the strength and resilience required to overcome adversity, and the importance of family and maintaining a work-life balance―something that has been lost sight of in today’s 24x7 work culture,” it further says.
