Chief of Army Staff (Nepal)

Head of the Nepal Army

For head of Nepalese Army before COAS, see Chief of the Nepalese Army.

Chief of Army Staff of the Nepal Army

प्रधानसेनापति

Emblem of Chief of the Army Staff of Nepal

Flag of the Chief of the Army Staff

Incumbent
General Prabhu Ram Sharma
since 9 September 2021

Ministry of Defence
Status| Military commander
Abbreviation| COAS
Reports to| Prime Minister of Nepal
Ministry of Defence
Seat| Bhadrakali, Kathmandu, Nepal
Nominator| Government of Nepal
Appointer| President of Nepal
Term length| 3 years or up to 61 years of age[1]
Precursor| Commander-in-Chief of Nepal Army
Formation| 15 May 1979; 43 years ago (1979-05-15)
First holder| General Singha Pratap Shah
Succession| On basis of seniority, subjected to the decision of the Prime Minister of Nepal.
Unofficial names| Army Chief
Chief Sa'ab
Deputy| Vice Chief of Army Staff
Website| Official website

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) (Nepali: नेपालको प्रधानसेनापति), informally known as Chief Sa'ab (Nepali: चिफ सा'ब), is the commander and highest-ranking officer of the Nepalese Armed Forces.

The Chief of Army Staff is the Chief of the Nepalese Army and reports to the Ministry of Defense. The appointment is constitutionally subjected to be for three years or up to 61 years of age whichever is earlier. The seat of Chief of Army Staff is in Bhadrakali, Kathmandu. The current Chief of Army Staff is General Prabhu Ram Sharma, since 9 September 2021. The Chief of Army Staff also holds the honorary rank of General of the Indian Army.[2]

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Appointment
* 3 Powers, duties and responsibilities
* 4 Removal
* 5 List of Chiefs of the Army Staff of Nepal (1979–present)
* 6 Chief of General Staff
* 6.1 Vice Chief of Army Staff
* 7 References
* 8 Books

## History[edit]

The Kajis of Gorkha Kingdom (later Kingdom of Nepal) carried the functions of army chief. In the 19th century, Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa was the first person to use Commander-in-Chief as the title of army chief.[3] During the Rana dynasty, the post of army chief was hereditary. In 1979, General Singha Pratap Shah was raised with the title of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) instead of Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C). Since then, COAS is the title of army chief of Nepalese Army. Since 1950, it has been tradition for the President of India to award the chief of the Nepalese Army with the honorary rank of General of the Indian Army.[4]

## Appointment[edit]

As per Section 8 of Army Act (2063) of Nepal, the Chief of Army Staff is appointed by the President of Nepal on the recommendation of Council of Ministers of Nepal.[5] The Chief of Army Staff is the head of the Nepalese military. As per Section 10 of the same, the appointment is subjected to be for three years or up to 61 years whichever is earlier.[5] As per Section 8(3) of Nepal Army Act (2063), in case of leave by current COAS, the President of Nepal can appoint the seniormost officer as the acting Chief of Army Staff. When General Rajendra Chhetri left for 15 days tour on 30 June 2017 to United States, Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Baldev Raj Mahat was appointed Acting Chief of the Army Staff as per section 8(3).[6] Similarly, then CGS Lt. Gen. Purna Chandra Thapa was appointed as the acting Chief of Army Staff on 8 August 2018 at the traditional last month leave of General Chhetri.[7]

## Powers, duties and responsibilities[edit]

As per Section 9(1) of Army Act (2063) of Nepal, the Chief of Army Staff shall manage the armed forces under the instructions of the Government of Nepal and according to prevailing laws and acts. As per Section 9(2), the COAS shall submit an annual report on the management of Nepalese armed forces to the Government of Nepal on the Baisakh month of Hindu calendar.[5]

## Removal[edit]

As per Section 11 (1 & 2) of the Army Act, COAS is normally retired on completion of 3 years or up to age of 61 years of the person, whichever is earlier. However, as per the section 11(3) of the same, the COAS can be removed by the President of Nepal if deemed necessary by Government of Nepal on the recommendation of Council of Ministers of Nepal.[5]

## List of Chiefs of the Army Staff of Nepal (1979–present)[edit]

See also: Chief of the Nepalese Army

No. | Portrait  | Chief of Army Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Unit of Commission | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| Shah, Singha PratapGeneral
Singha Pratap Shah OGDB, OTSP| 15 May 1979| 15 May 1983| 4 years, 0 days| –| –

| Rana, Arjun NarsinghGeneral
Arjun Narsingh Rana OGDB, OTSP| 15 May 1983| 15 May 1987| 4 years, 0 days| –| –

| Rana, Satchit Shamsher Jang BahadurGeneral
Satchit Rana OGDB, OTSP
(1934–2007)| 15 May 1987| 15 May 1991| 4 years, 0 days| Shreenath Battalion| –

| Rana, Gadul Shamsher Jang BahadurGeneral
Gadul Shamsher JB Rana OGDB, OTSP
(1936–2016)| 15 May 1991| 4 May 1995| 3 years, 354 days| –| [8]

| Thapa, Dharmapal BarsinghGeneral
Dharmapaal Barsingh Thapa OGDB, OTSP
(born 1936)| 15 May 1995| 15 May 1999| 4 years, 0 days| –| –

| Rana, Prajwalla Shamsher Jang BahadurGeneral
Prajwalla Shamsher JB Rana OGDB, OTSP| 19 May 1999| 9 September 2003| 4 years, 113 days| –| –

| Thapa, Pyar JungGeneral
Pyar Jung Thapa| 10 September 2003| 9 September 2006| 2 years, 364 days| –| –

| Katawal, RookmangudGeneral
Rookmangad Katawal
(born 1948)| 9 September 2006| 9 September 2009| 3 years, 0 days| –| –

| Gurung, Chhatra Man SinghGeneral
Chhatra Man Singh Gurung
(born 1952)| 9 September 2009| 5 September 2012| 2 years, 362 days| Shreenath Battalion| –
10|

| Rana, Gaurav Shumsher JBGeneral
Gaurav Shumsher JB Rana
(born 1955)| 6 September 2012| 10 September 2015| 3 years, 4 days| Purano Gorakh Battalion| [9]
11|

| Chhetri, RajendraGeneral
Rajendra Chhetri
(born 1960)| 10 September 2015| 8 September 2018| 2 years, 363 days| Rajdal Battalion| [7]
12|

| Thapa, Purna ChandraGeneral
Purna Chandra Thapa
(born 1960)| 9 September 2018| 9 September 2021| 3 years, 0 days| Gorakh Bahadur Battalion| [1][10]
[11]
13|

| Sharma, PrabhuGeneral
Prabhu Ram Sharma
(born 1964)| 9 September 2021| Incumbent| 1 year, 58 days| Purano Gorakh Battalion| [12][13][14][15]

## Chief of General Staff[edit]

See also: Chief of General Staff (Nepal)

Chief of General Staff (CGS) is the deputy position of the Chief of Army Staff. The CGS is generally ranked as Lieutenant General (three star General). The chief of general staff is assigned to look after intelligence and operations in the Army.[16] Now, the Vice Chief of Army Staff is the deputy position of the Chief of Army Staff.

No. | Portrait  | Chief of General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Unit of Commission | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| Chhetri, RajendraGeneral
Rajendra Chhetri
(born 1960)| February 2015| July 2015| 5 months| Rajdal Battalion| [16]

| Mahat, Baldev RajLieutenant General
Baldev Raj Mahat| July 2015| 4 November 2017| 2 years, 4 months| –| [16][17]

| Thapa, Purna ChandraGeneral
Purna Chandra Thapa
(born 1960)| 4 November 2017| 8 August 2018| 277 days| Gorakh Bahadur Battalion| [7][17][18]

| Kunwar, Hemanta RajLieutenant General
Hemanta Raj Kunwar| 16 September 2018| 23 April 2019| 219 days| Naya Gorakh Battalion| [19][20][21][22]
40|

| Giri, SaradLieutenant General
Sarad Giri| 23 April 2019| 20 June 2020| 1 year, 58 days| Rajdal Battalion| [22][23]

| Sharma, Prabhu RamLieutenant General
Prabhu Ram Sharma
(born 1964)| 2020| 9 August 2021| -| Purano Gorakh Battalion| [15][23]

### Vice Chief of Army Staff[edit]

See also: Vice Chief of Army Staff (Nepal)

The Vice Chief of Army Staff is the deputy position of the Chief of Army Staff. Currently, Lt. Gen. Bal Krishna Karki is the VCOAS of the Nepal Army.[24]

No. | Portrait  | Vice Chief of Army Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Unit of Commission | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| Karki, Bal KrishnaLieutenant General
Bal Krishna Karki
(born 12 October 1964)| 14 September 2021| | 1 year, 53 days| -| [24]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Thapa likely to be appointed Nepali Army chief". thehimalayantimes.com. 4 November 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
2. ^ "Nepal army chief conferred honorary rank of General in India". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
3. ^ Adhikari 2015, p. 155.
4. ^ "President confers honorary rank of 'General of Indian Army' on Nepal Army Chief". Printline Media. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
5. ^ a b c d "Military act 2063" (PDF). www.nepalarmy.mil.np.
6. ^ "Lieutenant General Mahat entrusted with NA acting Chief responsibility". thehimalayantimes.com. 29 June 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
7. ^ a b c "Thapa to take charge of Nepali Army as acting CoAS - The Himalayan Times". thehimalayantimes.com. 9 August 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
8. ^ "Former army chief Gadul Shamsher Rana no more". thehimalayantimes.com. 6 April 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
9. ^ "Tough challenges ahead for new NA chief Chhetri - The Himalayan Times". thehimalayantimes.com. 10 September 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
10. ^ "General Purna Thapa is new chief of Nepal Army". The Economic Times. 9 September 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
11. ^ "Thapa sworn in as new Army chief". ekantipur.com. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
12. ^ "नवनियुक्त प्रधानसेनापति शर्माले गरे पदभार ग्रहण". Setopati. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
13. ^ "General Prabhu Ram Sharma appointed new chief of Nepal Army". Retrieved 9 September 2021.
14. ^ "Nepali Army | नेपाली सेना". www.nepalarmy.mil.np. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
15. ^ a b "Nepali Army | नेपाली सेना". www.nepalarmy.mil.np. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
16. ^ a b c "Chhetri promoted to acting Army chief". ekantipur.com. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
17. ^ a b "Thapa likely to be appointed Nepali Army chief". thehimalayantimes.com. 4 November 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
18. ^ "CGS Biography". Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
19. ^ http://therisingnepal.org.np/news/25695[bare URL]
20. ^ "Nepal Keen on Maintaining World Military Relations". 6 September 2018.
21. ^ "CGS Biography". Archived from the original on 2 January 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
22. ^ a b "CGS Biography". Archived from the original on 9 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
23. ^ a b "CoS Giri retiring Friday, Brig Gen Hamal to be promoted".
24. ^ a b "Nepali Army | नेपाली सेना". www.nepalarmy.mil.np. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.

## Books[edit]

* Acharya, Baburam (2012), Acharya, Shri Krishna (ed.), Janaral Bhimsen Thapa : Yinko Utthan Tatha Pattan (in Nepali), Kathmandu: Education Book House, p. 228, ISBN 9789937241748
* Adhikari, Indra (2015), Military and Democracy in Nepal, Routledge, ISBN 9781317589068
* Nepal, Gyanmani (2007), Nepal ko Mahabharat (in Nepali) (3rd ed.), Kathmandu: Sajha, p. 314, ISBN 9789993325857
* Oldfield, Henry Ambrose (1880), Sketches from Nipal, Vol 1, vol. 1, London: W.H. Allan & Co.
* Pradhan, Kumar L. (2012), Thapa Politics in Nepal: With Special Reference to Bhim Sen Thapa, 1806–1839, New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company, p. 278, ISBN 9788180698132
* Khatri, Shiva Ram (1999), Nepal Army Chiefs: Short Biographical Sketches, University of Michigan: Sira Khatri

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