Jubilations take over native village of newly appointed CDS Anil Chouhan

Ahead of newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chouhan's stint, the atmosphere in his native village of Gawana in Uttarakhand's Pauri Garhwal district has become imbued with a festive freshness. As residents celebrated the son of the soil's rise to the top, his extended family members said on Thursday they were excited to meet him.

Shrinagar:Jubilations have taken over a small village in Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand, after news broke recently, resonating with the success of one of its own. Moments after Lieutenant General (Retired) Anil Chouhan replaced late General Bipin Rawat as the country's Chief of Defence Staff, the residents of Gawana - in Pauri Garhwal district - came out to the streets to celebrate.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, several of Chouhan's family members said they were looking forward to meeting Chouhan, and would be traveling to Delhi. "He is my uncle's son. I am planning to go to Delhi and meet him, to congratulate him," Darshan Singh Chouhan, the military chief's cousin, said.

Veena Devi, the daughter-in-law to Chouhan, said she had started distributing sweets and arranging for celebrations after hearing the news. "We feel very proud. Sweets were distributed among all village residents, and we have also arranged for 'bhajan-kirtan' (devotional songs).

Meanwhile, a budding armed forces enthusiast in Khushi Chouhan, the CDS' niece, stated that the appointment indicated hard work could lead to great advancements for anyone irrespective of their social standing. "Today is a day of great happiness for all of us here, as well as people around the country.

It is inspiring how he has reached such a pedestal from humble beginnings. This is a lesson for the youth," she noted, adding that she herself is considering joining the Army after the completion of her studies.

Anil Chouhan is set to formally take over on September 30. The new Chief of Defence Staff is from 11 Gorkha Rifles, to which late General Bipin Rawat also belonged. As the new CDS, Chouhan will serve as the Secretary of Government of India's Department of Military Affairs.