Department of Military Affairs’ first Additional Secretary Lt Gen Taranjit Singh retires

The newly formed Department of Military Affairs which was tasked to reshape and restructure India’s military on 1 January 2020 started the humungous process with a team of experienced and specialists a year ago. One of the key core members of this department Lt Gen Taranjit Singh retired last week as Additional Secretary in the DMA, after serving the country for almost four decades.

Lt Gen Taranjit Singh, in a career spanning over 39 years, has held a number of prestigious appointments before taking over the appointment of Additional Secretary (TS), Department of Military Affairs. He is an alumnus of National Defence Academy and was commissioned from Indian Military Academy on 19 Dec 1981 into 65 Armoured Regiment. The General Officer has commanded the same Regiment in Jammu & Kashmir Sector during Operation RAKSHAK and Operation PARAKRAM and is presently the Colonel of 65 Armoured Regiment also. He has had operational experience during Operation PAWAN as part of Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka for two years with the Regiment.

Lt Gen Taranjit Singh has attended has various prestigious courses including the Defence Service Staff Course (DSSC) at Wellington, Higher Command Course at the Army War Collage and The National Defence Collage. In addition, he has also attended the Tank Technology Courses, Combat Team & Combat Group Commander’s Course and International Peace and Border Management Course from United Kingdom Land Warfare School. He was awarded Vishisht Seva Medal during Command of 4 RAPID, Bar to Vishisht Seva Medal while serving as Major General General Staff (Operations), Headquarter Southern Command and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal during Command of Corps. In addition, he was also awarded the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Committee Commendation Card and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command Commendation Card.

The Officer has served with UNAVEM-III as Military Observer in Angola, and been the Director at Operations Directorate. He has been a Directing Staff and Defence Service Staff Collage, Wellington. He Commanded an Armoured Brigade, RAPID, Division, Corps in the Western Theatre. Other appointments include Director General Recruiting, Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Army) as well as Director General Perspective &Planning and Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations), Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff. He holds Masters of Philosophy degree from Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore and University of Madras.