Army Aviation to get 1st DG

The Indian Army is set to receive its first Director General, Army Aviation after the position was contested by a serving officer and the Army, which had appointed a different officer to the post.

Major General P.K. Bhairali, Additional Director General, Army Aviation was approved for promotion to the rank of lieutenant general last Monday and is expected to be given his posting orders as director general towards the end of this month.

As reported by StratPost last year, General Bhairali had petitioned the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) to direct the army to consider him for promotion to three-star rank and consider him for appointment as the Director General of Army Aviation.

After hearing the case, in October the AFT ordered the army to conduct a Special Selection Board (SSB) to consider him for promotion to the rank of lieutenant general.

The result of the SBB came out on Monday, in which General Bhairali has been approved for promotion.

The AFT was informed of the SSB result on Tuesday and has ordered the army to issue him posting orders by January 24, 2015.