President Ram Chandra Paudel has conferred an insignia on the newly appointed Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) of the Nepali Army, Ashok Raj Sigdel.
In a special ceremony held at the Office of the President at Shital Niwas today, the newly appointed CoAS Sigdel took the oath of office and secrecy before Paudel, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Nepali Army.
Sigdel has formally assumed the command as the 45th CoAS of the Nepali Army, the main security agency of the country, starting today.
The Constitution of Nepal has given the army the important responsibility of protecting the sovereignty, geographical integrity, independence and national unity of Nepal.
Apart from disaster management, the Nepali Army's duties include national development, peacekeeping, internal security, safeguarding forests and the environment, preserving historical heritage, promoting national unity, and carrying out emergency search and rescue missions.
Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Chief Justice Bishowambhar Prasad Shrestha, Speaker Devraj Ghimire National Assembly Chairman Narayan Prasad Dahal were present in the ceremony.
Who is Sigdel?
CoAS Sigdel has completed a range of professional military courses both domestically and internationally. He holds a Bachelor's degree from the Army Command and Staff College in Shivapuri and from China’s National Defense University. Additionally, he has completed the Higher and Management Course at the Army War College and the Defense Management Course in India. He also holds a Master’s degree in strategic studies from China’s National Defense University and an MA from Tribhuvan University.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, CoAS Sigdel served as the Secretary of the Covid Crisis Management Centre (CCMC). He is recognized within his professional circle as a studious and responsive leader with keen insights into national and international strategic matters.
His career includes significant roles in military operations and organizational structures, including the logistics department, as the Policy Director General, and in the Kathmandu Valley Command. He has also served in challenging zones such as Eastern Yugoslavia, Tajikistan, and Liberia under United Nations peacekeeping operations.
CoAS Sigdel has been honored with several prestigious awards both domestically and internationally, including the Suprabal Janasewa Shree III. He has received the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Medal twice within the Nepali Army in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the organization.
The Nepali Army has made a significant contribution to UN peacekeeping operations. It is among the leading contributors in terms of sending personnel to UN missions, with a total of 152,823 peacekeepers from Nepal having served in these missions. Currently, 5,946 Nepali Army personnel, including 657 women, are deployed across 11 peacekeeping missions in various conflict zones.
