A day after taking charge as Army chief, General Manoj Pande laid a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi to pay his respects to the martyrs. He was also given a Guard of Honour at the South Block. Following the retirement of General M.M. Naravane, General Pande took over as the army chief on April 30. General Pande is the 29th chief of the Indian Army and the first officer from the Corps of Engineers to assume this responsibility.