In a historic first for the Indian military, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi and Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, who were classmates, will simultaneously serve as chiefs of the Indian Army and Navy, respectively.
Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi and Army Chief Designate Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, both alumni of Sainik School Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, attended the school together from class 5A in the early 1970s. Their roll numbers, 931 for Lt Gen Dwivedi and 938 for Admiral Tripathi, were sequentially close. They formed a strong bond during their school days and maintained their friendship over the years, despite pursuing careers in different branches of the military.
According to a defense official familiar with both officers, close friendships among senior military leaders play a crucial role in enhancing collaboration and cohesion between different branches of the armed forces.
“This rare honour of nurturing two prodigious students, who would go on to lead their respective Services 50 years later, goes to Sainik School, Rewa, in Madhya Pradesh,” Defence Ministry Spokesperson A Bharat Bhushan Babu said in a tweet.
The appointments of these two classmates have coincided within a span of approximately two months. Admiral Dinesh Tripathi assumed command of the Indian Navy on May 1, while Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi is scheduled to assume his new role tomorrow.
Lt Gen Dwivedi brings extensive experience from his tenure as the Northern Army Commander, where he has been closely involved in ongoing military operations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, born on July 1, 1964, joined the Indian Army’s Jammu & Kashmir Rifles after his commission on December 15, 1984.