Pandala Nagesh Rao: New chief for Dakshin Bharat Area

Lieutenant General Pandala Nagesh Rao has been appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.

The area is known to the military as Dakshin Bharat Area. After initial schooling at St Edward’s School in Shimla and Doveton Corrie School in Madras, Rao joined the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the 5th Battalion the Parachute Regiment in December 1982 from Indian Military Academy.

He previously commanded the 5th Parachute Regiment in Operation “Rakshak” in Jammu and Kashmir, a mountain brigade in Binnaguri, a mountain division in Manipur and a mountain strike corps at Ranchi later at Panagarh.

Before taking over as the GOC, he was the Chief of Staff at HQ South Western Command, Jaipur. He has been awarded Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Central Command Commendation Card, Wound Medal – twice, Yudh Seva Medal and Sena Medal for Gallantry.