General Upendra Dwivedi has assumed the role of India’s Army Chief. On Sunday, he took charge as the Chief of Army Staff, now sitting in the Army Chief’s office on the first floor of the South Block. Just a few rooms away sits his childhood friend and classmate, Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, who became the Navy Chief a few months ago.
Navy Chief Dinesh Kumar Tripathi and Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi both attended the same school. Their friendship, strong since school days, now sees them united in facing national adversaries. General Dwivedi and Admiral Tripathi were students at Sainik School Rewa in Madhya Pradesh from 1973 to 1981. This marks a unique occurrence where two classmates from the same school have reached top positions in two critical branches of the Indian Armed Forces. Their story is an inspiration, and their friendship will be remembered for decades.
The two friends will now work in the same building. Although Admiral Tripathi was ready to welcome his friend Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi to the South Block, responsibilities kept him from doing so. Tripathi, being on an official visit to Bangladesh, couldn’t personally welcome Dwivedi. However, for the next two years, they will often meet in the same building, regularly collaborating to secure India’s borders and enhance unity among the armed forces.
General Upendra Dwivedi is also the first Army Chief from the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles regiment, which is associated with the former royal Dogra house of Jammu and Kashmir and was integrated into the Indian Army in 1957. His appointment comes at a time of ongoing tensions with China and Pakistan. These two friends will now face these challenges together. Interestingly, General Dwivedi is from Garh Udia village in the Rewa district, while Admiral Tripathi hails from Satna, both within the same state. General Dwivedi even has a house in Rewa city.
Regarding their education, General Dwivedi’s early schooling was in Raipur, which was then in Madhya Pradesh but is now in Chhattisgarh. After fifth grade, he joined Sainik School Rewa, where he studied until Class 12 from 1973 to 1981. Admiral Tripathi was also in the same class, and their friendship strengthened during this period. Later, Tripathi joined the Navy, and Dwivedi the Army. General Dwivedi joined the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles of the Indian Army on December 15, 1984.
Born on July 1, 1964, General Upendra Dwivedi has become the 30th Chief of Army Staff, succeeding General Manoj Pandey. He also served as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command from 2022 to 2024. Rakesh Tripathi joined the Indian Navy on July 1, 1985. Tripathi studied at Sainik School Rewa from 1973 to 1981 and graduated in 1981. Afterwards, he attended the National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla and trained in the Navy. He joined the Navy on July 1, 1985, and became the Navy Chief on April 30.
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