In a First, Classmates To Serve As Chiefs of Indian Army And Navy Together

In a historic first for the Indian military, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi and Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, who were once classmates, are poised to assume leadership of the Indian Army and Navy, respectively.

“For the first time in Indian Military history, Chiefs of Navy and Army hail from the same school. 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,” stated Defence Ministry Spokesperson A Bharat Bhushan Babu in a post on social media platform 'X'

Both officers originate from Sainik School Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, where they attended classes together in the early 1970s, starting from 5th grade. According to news agency ANI, despite choosing different military careers, their strong friendship has endured since their school days. This is evident from their remarkably similar roll numbers—931 for Lt. Gen. Dwivedi and 938 for Admiral Tripathi.

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Lt. Gen. Dwivedi and Admiral Tripathi both assumed their respective roles within a span of two months. Admiral Tripathi took command of the Indian Navy on May 1, while Lt. Gen. Dwivedi is scheduled to begin his new role shortly.

Lt. Gen. Dwivedi, who has served extensively as the Northern Army Commander, brings valuable experience from military operations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. Born on July 1, 1964, he was commissioned into the Jammu & Kashmir Rifles of the Indian Army on December 15, 1984, showcasing a distinguished career trajectory since his days at Sainik School Rewa.

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