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Anil Chauhan (CDS) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 28, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth18 May 1961

Age64 Years

BirthplaceGwana Village, Pauri Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh (now in Uttarakhand)

ProfessionArmy Personnel

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseAnupama Chauhan

FamilyDaughter - Pragya Chauhan; Father - Surendra Singh Chauhan

Anil Chauhan (CDS) Biography

Anil Chauhan is a senior Indian Army officer who has served as the second Chief of Defence Staff. A career soldier from the 11 Gorkha Rifles, he reached a

Early life and background

Anil Chauhan was born on 18 May 1961 in Gwana Village, Pauri Garhwal, then part of Uttar Pradesh and now in Uttarakhand. He grew up in a military family; his father, Surendra Singh Chauhan, also served in the Indian Army. Chauhan attended Kendriya Vidyalaya at Fort William in Kolkata and went on to train at the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy, from where he was commissioned into the Indian Army in June 1981.

Career

Chauhan’s professional life is that of a lifelong soldier. He was commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles on 13 June 1981 and progressed through the ranks over four decades, holding appointments that ranged from company commander to corps commander. His promotions included captain in 1986, major in 1992, lieutenant colonel in December 2004, colonel in October 2005, brigadier in June 2009, major general in January 2014 and lieutenant general in July 2016.

During his regimental and field service he completed the Indian Army’s Young Officers and commando courses and served as second-in-command and later as commanding officer of battalion formations of the 11 Gorkha Rifles. As a brigadier he was commandant of the 11 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre in Lucknow and contributed to veterans’ welfare policy at the Directorate of Indian Army Veterans.

Promoted to major general in 2014, Chauhan served as chief of staff of the 15 Corps (Chinar Corps) in Kashmir. He later commanded the 19 Infantry Division in Baramulla from 2015 to 2016, where his responsibilities included leading counter-insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley. As a lieutenant general he took command of III Corps in Dimapur, operating under the Eastern Command, and served there until 2018.

From 2018 to 2019 he served in New Delhi as Director General of Military Operations. In that role he was involved in operational planning and oversight of joint operations. In 2019 he became General Officer Commanding of the Eastern Command, headquartered in Kolkata, where he remained until his retirement from the Army on 31 May 2021.

After retirement Chauhan continued to work in national security. He was appointed as a military advisor in the National Security Council Secretariat to the National Security Advisor, service he held until September 2022.

On 30 September 2022 the Government of India appointed Anil Chauhan as the country’s second Chief of Defence Staff and designated him to also serve as Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs. The appointment made him the first retired three-star officer to be given a four-star post on reappointment.

Military deployments, writing and honours

Chauhan’s service included a United Nations deployment as a Military Observer in Angola. He is the author of a 2010 study on post-strike operations that examined consequences following a nuclear exchange.

Over his career he received numerous military decorations, including the Sena Medal, Videsh Seva Medal, High Altitude Service Medal, Sainya Seva Medal, Special Service Medal, Samanya Seva Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (2018) and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (2020).

Public profile

Chauhan is identified publicly as belonging to the Rajput (Kshatriya) community. He is married to Anupama Chauhan, an artist, and the couple have a daughter, Pragya Chauhan. He is described as having dark brown eyes and salt-and-pepper hair, standing about 170 cm (5 ft 7 in) and weighing around 65 kg. His service number is listed as IC-39492A.

Latest updates

Following the vacancy left by the death of the previous Chief of Defence Staff, Chauhan assumed the CDS role on 30 September 2022 and took on the concurrent responsibilities of Secretary, Department of Military Affairs. He continues to occupy that post.
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Recent Work

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)

Appointed as India’s second Chief of Defence Staff and Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs with effect from 30 September 2022.

2022
Aftermath of a Nuclear Attack: A Case Study on Post-strike Operations

Authored a study published in 2010 addressing post-strike scenarios following a nuclear exchange.

2010
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Career Highlights

  1. Commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles in 1981
  2. Served as Director General of Military Operations (2018–2019)
  3. General Officer Commanding, Eastern Command (2019–2021)
  4. Appointed as India’s second Chief of Defence Staff and Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs (2022–present)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Anil Chauhan (CDS) born?

18 May 1961

What is Anil Chauhan (CDS) known for?

Army Personnel

What is Anil Chauhan (CDS)’s marital status?

Married

Who is Anil Chauhan (CDS) married to?

Anupama Chauhan