Rewa to Raisina: In a first, 2 former Sainik school classmates become chiefs of Indian Army and Navy together

In a rare coincidence and in-fact for the first time in Indian military history, two classmates – Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and General Upendra Dwivedi, from school days in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa rose to become the chiefs of their respective services – Indian Navy and Indian Army.

Tripathi and Dwivedi attended Sainik School in Rewa together in the 1970s. They were enrolled in class 5A and had roll numbers 931 and 938, respectively.

The Defence Ministry spokesperson A Bharat Bhushan Babu in a X post said: "For the first time in Indian Military history, Chiefs of Navy and Army hail from the same school. This rare honour of nurturing two prodigious students, who would go on to lead their respective Services 50 years later, goes to Sainik School, Rewa in Madhya Pradesh."

Admiral Tripathi took over the helm of Indian Navy on May 1 while General Dwivedi was supposed to assume charge on June 1 but had to wait for a month since the existing Army chief General Manoj Pande was given a month extension, which is rare. Prior to General Pande, only Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw and General GG Bewoor were given extension due to 1971 Indo-Pak war. It is said that Gen Bewoor was given extension in 1975 because the then political leadership under Indira Gandhi did not want to appoint General PS Bhagat as the Army chief.

An alumnus of Sainik School Rewa and National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, General Dwivedi and Admiral Tripathi were commissioned into their respective services on December 15, 1984 and July 1, 1985, respectively.

Like General Dwivedi, his classmate – Admiral Tripathi also served as the vice chief of the Indian Navy.

General Dwivedi has a unique distinction of balanced exposure along Northern, Western and Eastern Theatres, in varied terrain and operational environment including Deserts, High Altitude, Riverine, Built Up area, North East and Jammu and Kashmir.

He commanded his battalion in active Counter Terrorist operations in Kashmir Valley and in Rajasthan Deserts. He has been IGAR (GOC) and Sector Cdr Assam Rifles in intense CT Ops and held various other Staff & Command appointments in the North East.

• Admiral Dinesh Tripathi
• Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi
• Navy Chief
• Rewa
• Sainik School
• Upendra Dwivedi
• Indian Army
• Indian Navy