Maj Gen Oberoi is Patil's new military secy

Delhi Area General Officer Commanding Major General KJS Oberoi has been appointed as Military Secretary to President Pratibha Patil, reports Aloke Tikku.

Delhi Area General Officer Commanding (GOC) Major General KJS Oberoi has been appointed as Military Secretary to President Pratibha Patil, a government spokesman said on Thursday.

HT Image

Oberoi’s orders were issued along with those for four other officials selected to join the fresh team at the presidential secretariat. They include Barun Mitra, whose tenure as joint secretary in the President's secretariat is being extended.

An official spokesman said the competent authority had approved the appointments of the officials. Their tenure would be co-terminus with Patil’s five-year term or till further orders.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan did not ask the army to send a panel of officers for the job, as it customary, before Oberoi’s appointment. Commissioned into the Punjab Regiment, he was commanding Bareilly-based 6 Mountain Division. He is also the colonel commandant of the Punjab Regiment.

The list also included the name of an IFS officer of 1985 batch, Vijay Thakur Singh, appointed as social secretary. An official said this designation had been recently created. Two IAS officers, Faiz Ahmed Kidwai and Vishal Chauhan have also been named as deputy secretaries at the secretariat.