Army chief made honorary General of Nepal Army

Continuing a tradition of friendship between both armies, Indian Army Chief General VK Singh was decorated with the honorary rank of General of Nepal Army on Wednesday.

Updated on: Dec 22, 2010, 17:50:11 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Continuing a tradition of friendship between both armies, Indian Army Chief General VK Singh was decorated with the honorary rank of General of Nepal Army on Wednesday.

President Ram Baran Yadav, the Supreme Commander of Nepal Army, conferred the honour to General Singh at a brief function held at Shital Niwas, the official residence of the Nepal President.

General Singh is the second Indian army chief to be decorated with the honour this year. In January, his predecessor General Deepak Kapoor had been accorded a similar rank.

Decorating the chiefs of each other’s armies with the highest rank is a tradition that’s been followed by Nepal and India since 1950 when former Indian army chief General KM Cariappa visted Nepal.

In December last year, Chief of Nepal Army, General Chhatra Man Singh Gurung, was also made an honorary General of the Indian army by President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi.

Earlier General Singh met caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and defence minister Vidya Devi Bhandari and assured them of military assistance if Nepal makes such request.

The Prime Minister assured that Nepal will not allow its soil to be used for anti-India activities. India has maintained that infiltration of terrorists through the open border is a reason for concern.

India is the biggest provider of military assistance to Nepal, but since signing of the peace deal in 2006 after end of a 10 year civil war, the latter has not asked for assistance from its southern neighbour.

General Singh, who is on a four day visit to Nepal, would leave for New Delhi on Thursday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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