Lt General S K Saini has taken over as the new commandant of prestigious Indian Military Academy (IMA). Lt General Saini assumed the office of commandant on May 21. Earlier, he was a senior directing staff in National Defence College (NDC), New Delhi, according to press release issued by IMA. Lt General Saini is an alumni of National Defence Academy (NDA) and IMA. In 1981, he was commissioned to seventh battalion of Jat regiment. In his career of 36 years, he has held many important posts.

Did You Know?

• The Indian Military Academy, Dehradun (also known as IMA) is the officer training Academy of the Indian Army. IMA was established in 1932.
• The IMA Museum on the campus displays artifacts of historic importance. Among other war relics, it displays the pistol of Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi of the Pakistan Army which he surrendered to Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora after signing the Instrument of Surrender to end the liberation War of 1971.
• he IMA War Memorial, with its pillars and columns of Dholpur stone, pays homage to the alumni of the academy who have fallen in the course of action. At the sanctum sanctorum of the memorial is a bronze statue of a Gentleman Cadet with a sword presenting arms.
• IMA Cadets are organized as a Regiment with four training battalions, of four companies each. There were sixteen companies in 2013. Battalions are named for generals of the Indian Army (except for Siachen Battalion), while companies are named for battles of the Army.