View source for Commandant of the Indian Military Academy

{{short description|Commandant of the Indian Military Academy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Commandant
| body = the<br>[[Indian Military Academy]]
| native_name = 
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| incumbent = [[Lieutenant General (India)|Lieutenant General]]<br/>[[Vijay Kumar Mishra (general)|Vijay Kumar Mishra]]<br/> {{small|[[AVSM]]}}
| incumbentsince = 01 September 2022
| type = Military
| status = Active
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| formation = 1932
| first = [[Brigadier]] [[Lionel Collins]]
| last = 
| abolished = 
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| website = 
}}
The '''Commandant of the Indian Military Academy''' is a post created in 1932 for the purpose of leading the [[Indian Military Academy]] in its education of "gentleman cadets". The Commandant must hold a rank of [[Lieutenant general (India)|lieutenant general]] ([[Three-star rank|three star]] equivalent) or above. There is no minimum nor maximum term of service in this position though in practice commandants have served anywhere from a few months to 4 years in the position.

==History==
General [[Philip Chetwode, 1st Baron Chetwode|Philip Chetwode]] chose Brig LP Collins ([[4th Gorkha Rifles|4 Gurkhas]]) as the first commandant. Brig LP Collins had the task of first acquiring the campus from the railways in [[Dehradun]], and then converting it into an army training institution, taking ten months to do so.{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=21}} On 1 October 1932, the raising day, Brig LP Collins issued a Special Order of the Day "The Indian Military Academy opens with effect from today [...]."{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=22}} 

There were a total of 5 British commandants including Brig LP Collins, after which Brig Thakur Mahadeo Singh was appointed as the first Commandant of Indian descent post-independence in 1947.{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=}} Brig Thakur Mahadeo Singh was followed by [[Major General|Maj Gen]] [[KS Thimayya]] who became the first IMA Commandant to go on to become the [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of Army Staff]] in India. Brigadier M.M. Khanna was the first alumni of IMA alumni to be appointed Commandant.{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=}}<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/lieutenant-general-sk-saini-takes-over-as-46th-commandant-of-indian-military-academy-1464150431-1|title=Lieutenant General SK Saini takes over as 46th Commandant of Indian Military Academy|date=2016-05-25|website=Jagranjosh|access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref>

Following a recommendation in 1983 by the Ministry of Defence the need was felt that cadets needed to know about application of science in weaponry. Lt Gen Mathew Thomas and all following commandants took note of these changes and implemented them.{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=189}} Lt Gen M Thomas also suggested a change in syllabus, proposing new computer focused teaching methods as well as further emphasis on advanced training. This included sending cadets to the [[High Altitude Warfare School]] and the [[Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (India)|Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School]] among other things.{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=190}} Commandant Lt Gen Himmeth Singh appreciated the difficulties of modern warfare, but emphasized the human factor.{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=190}} His outline of teaching is as follows:
{{Quote|text="[...] the process of understanding the soldier must remain an on-going process and our skills in handling him suitably modified on requirement. It is by this process only that we shall get the best out of out men and above all not be found wanting by the men we command."|sign=Lt Gen Himmeth Singh{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=190}}}}

== Commandants ==
[[File:General Kodandera Subayya Thimayya.jpg|thumb|212x212px|[[Kodandera Subayya Thimayya|KS Thimayya]], Commandant of IMA 1950-1951, went on to become the [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of Army Staff]] in India.]]

There have been a total of 49 Commandants<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianarmy.nic.in/|title=The Official Home Page of the Indian Army{{!}} Commandants of the Indian Military Academy|website=Indian Army|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727091113/https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmPhotoGalleryWithMenuWithTitle.aspx?MnId=KZC9y8%2fFucM52BA9iN5Oag%3d%3d&ParentID=4oMp1RufTiDQEIyhkfMwFA%3d%3d&flag=voY8hkBcR4THt0hAxFjtqw%3d%3d|archive-date=27 July 2019|access-date=2019-07-27}}</ref> so far:
{| class="wikitable"
!#
!Start
!End
!Rank/Name
!References
|-
|1
|1932
|1936
|Brig [[Lionel Collins|Lionel Peter Collins]]
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
|2
|1936
|1939
|Brig [[Harold Kingsley]]
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianarmy.nic.in/|title=Commandants of IMA|website=Indian Army|access-date=2019-07-27}}</ref>
|-
|3
|1939
|1942
|Brig KD EL Young
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=221|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|4
|1942
|1944
|Brig JK Jones
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=221|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|5
|1944
|1947
|Brig AB Barltrop
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=221|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|6
|1947
|1950
|Maj Gen Thakur Mahadeo
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
|7
|1950
|1951
|Maj Gen [[KS Thimayya]]
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=221|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|8
|1951
|1953
|Maj Gen [[Mohinder Singh Wadalia|MS Wadalia]]
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=221|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|9
|1953
|1954
|Maj Gen [[Ibrahim Habibullah|E Habibullah]]
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=221|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|10
|1954
|1956
|Brig Apji Randhir Singh
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=221|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|11
|1956
|1958
|Brig MM Khanna
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
|12
|1958
|1959
|Brig Gobinder Singh
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=221|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|13
|1960
|1962
|Brig ND Nanavati
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=221|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|14
|1962
|1963
|Brig [[Premindra Singh Bhagat|PS Bhagat]]
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=221|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|15
|1963
|1964
|Maj Gen SC Pandit
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=221|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|16
|1964
|1966
|Maj Gen [[Kanwar Zorawar Singh|K Zorawar Singh]]
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|17
|1966
|1967
|Maj Gen JT Sataravala
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|18
|1967
|1969
|Maj Gen D K Palit
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|19
|1969
|1972
|Maj Gen Rajindra Prasad
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|20
|1972
|1974
|Maj Gen IC Katoch
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|21
|1974
|1975
|Maj Gen BR Prabhu
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|22
|1975
|1976
|Maj Gen SC Sinha
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|23
|1976
|1979
|Maj Gen GS Rawat
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|24
|1979
|1980
|Maj Gen [[Rajendra Nath (soldier)|Rajendra Nath]]
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|25
|1980
|1983
|Lt Gen M Thomas
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|26
|1983
|1984
|Lt Gen Himmeth Singh
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|27
|1984
|1986
|Lt Gen BB Sehgal
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|28
|1986
|1986
|Lt Gen SS Brar
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|29
|1986
|1988
|Lt Gen VP Gupta
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|30
|1988
|1990
|Lt Gen NPS Bal
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|31
|1990
|1991
|Lt Gen YS Tomar
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|32
|1991
|1991
|Lt Gen MA Zaki
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=222|loc=Appendix A}}
|-
|33
|1991
|1994
|Lt Gen JC Pant
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=205}}
|-
|34
|1994
|1996
|Lt Gen Inder Verma
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=205}}
|-
|35
|1996
|1998
|Lt Gen AS Sandhu
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=205}}
|-
|36
|1998
|1999
|Lt Gen MA Gurbaxani Sahi
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=205}}
|-
|37
|1999
|2001
|Lt Gen Yuvraj Mehta
|<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/tp-others/army-jobs-less-attractive/article27939495.ece|title=Army jobs 'less attractive'|last=Joshi|first=Sandeep|date=2001-06-11|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-07-27|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=205}}
|-
|38
|2001
|2003
|Lt Gen TS Shergill
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2014/state-editions/1964-batch-of-ima-officers-likely-to-congregate-in-doon.html|title=1964 batch of IMA officers likely to congregate in Doon|website=The Pioneer|language=en|access-date=2019-07-27}}</ref>{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=205}}
|-
|39
|2003
|2004
|Lt Gen GS Negi
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=205}}
|-
|40
|2004
|2006
|Lt Gen KK Khanna
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/lt-gen-k-k-khanna-is-new-ima-chief_189343.html|title=Lt. Gen K K Khanna is new IMA chief|date=2004-11-30|website=Zee News|language=en|access-date=2019-07-27}}</ref>{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=206}}
|-
|41
|2006
|2008
|Lt Gen PK Rampal
|{{Sfn|Singh|2007|p=206}}
|-
|42
|2008
|2011
|Lt Gen R. Singh Sujlana
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/lt-gen-sujlana-is-new-ima-chief_473270.html|title=Lt Gen Sujlana is new IMA chief|date=2008-10-01|website=Zee News|language=en|access-date=2019-07-27}}</ref>
|-
|43
|2011
|2015
|Lt Gen Manvender Singh
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2015/state-editions/ima-commandant-lt-gen-manvender-singh-retires.html|title=IMA Commandant lt Gen Manvender Singh retires|date=31 May 2015|website=The Pioneer|language=en|access-date=2019-07-27}}</ref>
|-
|44
|2015
|2015
|Lt Gen [[Balwant Singh Negi|BS Negi]]
|<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/lt-general-balwant-singh-negi-takes-over-as-indian-military-academy-commandant/articleshow/48330275.cms|title=Lt General Balwant Singh Negi takes over as Indian Military Academy Commandant|date=14 July 2018|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2019-10-23|others=PTI}}</ref>
|-
|45
|2016
|2016
|Lt Gen [[Satinder Kumar Saini|SK Saini]]
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Lt Gen Saini is IMA Commandant |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/uttarakhand/community/lt-gen-saini-is-ima-commandant/241080.html |website=www.tribuneindia.com |publisher=Tribune India}}</ref>
|-
|46
|2016
|2017
|Lt Gen SK Upadhya
|<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pioneer |first1=The |title=lt-Gen Santosh Upadhya to be new IMA commandant |url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2016/state-editions/lt-gen-santosh-upadhya-to-be-new-ima-commandant.html |website=The Pioneer |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|47
|2018
|2018
|Lt Gen [[Satinder Kumar Saini|S K Saini]]
|<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/lt-general-saini-new-commandant-of-indian-military-academy/articleshow/52400897.cms?from=mdr|title=Lt General Saini new commandant of Indian Military Academy|date=2018-07-11|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2019-07-27|others=PTI}}</ref>
|-
|48
|2018
|2020
|Lt Gen Sanjay Kumar Jha
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2019/state-editions/87th-raising-day-of-ima-celebrated.html|title=87th raising day of IMA celebrated|last=Pioneer|website=The Pioneer|access-date=2019-10-06}}</ref>
|-
|49
|2020
|Sept 2020
|Lt Gen [[Jaiveer Singh Negi]]
|<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pioneer|first=The|title=Lt Gen Negi takes over as 49th commandant of IMA|url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2020/state-editions/lt-gen-negi-takes-over-as-49th-commandant-of-ima.html|access-date=2020-08-23|website=The Pioneer|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|50
|October 2020
|August 2022
|Lt Gen [[Harinder Singh (general)|Harinder Singh]]
|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/lt-gen-harinder-singh-to-take-over-as-new-ima-commandant/articleshow/78411628.cms|title=New IMA Commandant Lt General Harinder Singh}}</ref>
|-
|51
|September 2022
|Till Date
|Lt Gen VK Mishra 
|
|}

== See also ==

* [[Commandant of the National Defence College]]
* [[List of Commandants of the National Defence Academy|Commandant of the National Defence Academy]]
* [[Commandant of Indian Naval Academy]]
* [[Commandant of the Air Force Academy]]

== References ==
<references />

== Bibliography ==
{{refbegin|}}
* {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=13zeKysRC2AC|title=History of the Indian Military Academy|last=Singh|first=Brigadier M. P.|publisher=Unistar Books|year=2007|isbn=9788189899561|location=Ludhiana}}
{{refend}}
{{Indian military academies and colleges}}
[[Category:Indian Army]]
[[Category:Military academies of India]]
[[Category:Military academies]]
[[Category:Indian military appointments]]
[[Category:Indian Army appointments]]