Ram Chander Tiwari

Lieutenant General Ram Chander Tiwari, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM is a retired general officer of the Indian Army. He last served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC)-in-Chief Eastern Command. He previously served as the GOC Uttar Bharat Area, and before that as GOC III Corps. He earlier held the appointment of Chief of Staff of the South Western Command.

Early life and education

Tiwari is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He has attended the Defence Services Staff College, Higher Defence Management Course and National Defence College, New Delhi. He is also a graduate of Swiss Army Chemical Warfare School and US Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, USA.

Military career

He was commissioned into the 4th battalion of the Kumaon Regiment on 13 June 1987 from the Indian Military Academy. Tiwari served as a Brigade Major of a mountain brigade along Northern Borders. He also served a Rashtriya Rifles battalion as 2IC and commanded his battalion in active counter-insurgency area of Assam (OP RHINO).

He served three tenures in Military Operations Directorate, Col General Staff of a Mountain Division in High Altitude in J&K, DDG KRA Cell in COAS Sectt and Dy MS in Military Secretary's Branch. He then served twice with the United Nations, first as a Military Observer and later as Deputy Chief of Staff at Force HQ in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

He commanded a mountain brigade in North Sikkim, wherein he was rewarded with Sena Medal. He also commanded the 17th Infantry Division along the Line of Actual Control, wherein he was awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.

After being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General, he was appointed as the Chief of Staff of the South Western Command. In March 2022, he took over as the GOC of III Corps in the Eastern Theatre. Tiwari was awarded Uttam Yudh Seva Medal for his distinguished service while commanding III Corps in Eastern Theatre. A year later in April 2023, Tiwari took over the command of Uttar Bharat Area.

On 1 January 2024, he took over as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command succeeding Lieutenant General Rana Pratap Kalita who superannuated on 31 December 2023.

Awards and decorations

Tiwari has been awarded with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2025, the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal in 2023, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and the Sena Medal.

Dates of rank