Gurmit Singh (general)
Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh is a retired Indian Army officer who was the Deputy Chief Staff of the Indian Army from 2014 to 2016. Singh is serving as the Governor of Uttarakhand since 15 September 2021. He has also worked in border issues and counter-terrorism.
Life and career
Singh was born on 1 February 1956 in Jalal Usman, Amritsar, Punjab. His father served in the Indian Army and his elder brother served in Indian Air Force.
He graduated from the Defence Services Staff Course and National Defence College, has two M.Phil degrees from Chennai and Indore universities, and was a research fellow for two years on the India-China Boundary issue at the Institute of Chinese Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University during his study leave from the Indian Army.
Military career
After serving as an Infantry Company Commander and Brigade Commander, he was appointed a Brigadier General of Army Staff. He later achieved the rank of Major General and served as the Additional Director General of Military Operations and Deputy Chief of Army Staff. During his stint in the Army, he was a part of numerous expert groups, joint working groups, annual dialogues and China study group meetings for over a decade. He also served in Banbasa, Uttarakhand, while in the army.
Honours
Singh received four Presidential Awards and two commendations by the Chief of Army Staff while in the Army. He has also received the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal.
Governorship
On 9 September 2021, he was appointed Uttarakhand's Governor by the Indian government, replacing then governor Baby Rani Maurya, who had resigned two years before her tenure was scheduled to end. He became the state's eighth and current governor. He took oath as the governor of Uttarakhand on 15 September 2021 at a ceremony held in Raj Bhavan.