Srinagar, Dec 5 (IANS): Major General Abhijit S. Pendharkar took over the reins as General Officer Commanding (GoC) of the elite Vajr Division from Major General V.M.B. Krishnan, who moved to the prestigious appointment of Commandant, Counter Insurgency Jungle Warfare School, Vairengte, the army said on Sunday.

Pendharkar was commissioned on Jun 9, 1990 from IMA, Dehradun into 6th Battalion, the Assam Regiment. An alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, the General Officer has attended all important career courses including Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Higher Command Course and National Defence College.

He has an MSc in Strategic Studies and Master of Philosophy to his credit. The General Officer has vast operational experience having served in intense counter insurgency/counter terrorist operations in the northeast and Jammu & Kashmir.

For his distinguished service, he has been awarded GOC-in-C Central Command Commendation Card in 2002, COAS Commendation Card in 2007 and Yudh Seva Medal in 2018 while commanding a challenging brigade on the Line of Control.

"The General officer brings with him a rich experience of various Commands, Staff and Instructional appointments including the prestigious command of an Infantry Brigade on the Line of Control, Chief of Staff of an Infantry Brigade Group in MONUSCO, Congo and an extremely important appointment in Directorate of Military Operations at IHQ of MoD (Army) prior to assuming the command of the prestigious Vajr Division," army said.