Major General Nirmal Kumar Thapa Recommended for Lieutenant General

In a significant development, Major General Nirmal Kumar Thapa has been recommended for the esteemed post of Lieutenant General in the Nepali Army, as announced by Brigadier General Krishna Prasad Bhandari, the Spokesperson for the Nepali Army.

The decision was reached during a pivotal meeting of the promotion recommendation committee on Wednesday evening, where it was concluded that Major General Thapa was the suitable candidate to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Lieutenant General Sitaram Khadka, who retired on grounds of age.

Major General Thapa, currently serving as the Force Commander in the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS), brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. His nomination reflects a commitment to excellence and leadership within the Nepali Army.

Brigadier General Bhandari further informed the media that the Committee has opened a seven-day window for receiving any complaints against Major General Thapa. This is part of the due diligence process to ensure transparency and accountability in the selection of high-ranking officials.

It is noteworthy that there are two vacant positions for Lieutenant Generals in the Nepali Army, and the promotion of Major General Thapa marks a significant step towards filling these crucial leadership roles.

In a related development, the Committee recently promoted Ashok Raj Sigdel as Lieutenant General. The decision about who will assume the position of Chief of Army Staff from September next year will likely be between Sigdel and Thapa. Given the seniority factor, Sigdel is currently positioned as the front-runner for the role of Commander-in-Chief.

The current Chief of Army Staff, Prabhuram Sharma, is set to retire on September 9, 2024, paving the way for new leadership to take charge of the Nepali Army. The coming months are expected to witness further deliberations and decisions that will shape the future leadership landscape of the armed forces. Stay tuned for more updates on this evolving story.