Lt Gen PC Thimmaya takes over as GoC Army Training Command, Shimla

Lieutenant General PC Thimmaya took over as the 21st General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) here on Thursday, an Army official said.

After passing out from the Indian Military Academy with the sword of honour, he commissioned into the 5th battalion Mechanised Infantry Regiment (14 KUMAON) on June 13, 1981.

An alumnus of Sainik School Bhubaneswar and National Defence Academy Pune, Thimmaya commanded his battalion during operation Parakram and an Independent Mechanised Brigade in the deserts.

As a major general, he commanded a strike formation and subsequently, as a lieutenant general, he commanded a Corps in the western theatre. Prior to his assumption of command of ARTRAC, Lieutenant General Thimmaya was posted as the Commandant of Army War College, Mhow.

He has had international assignments as military observer in UN Mission (UNAVEM, Angola) and Defence Attach in Bangladesh.