Port Blair, July 10: Maj Gen Cristopher Emanuel Fernandes, SM, has taken over as the tenth Chief of Staff (COS), Andaman & Nicobar Command from Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai, NM.

Maj Gen Fernandes, an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Pune was commissioned into the BIHAR Regiment of the Indian Army on 13 Jun 1981. The General Officer Commanded an Infantry Battalion on the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir andan Infantry Brigade in active Counter Insurgency environment in Assam. He has actively participated in combat operations in Manipur, Tripura, Assam, Siachen Glacier and Kashmir, and was awarded a Sena Medal for gallantry while operating in the face of enemy at Siachen Glacier.The General Officer has been an instructor at the National Defence Academy, Pune and has done staff tenures at Brigade, Division, Army Headquarters and Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff.

A graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, College of Defence Management, Secunderabad and Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi, he brings valuable experience to the Joint Andaman & Nicobar Command. His civil Qualifications include MSc in Strategic Studies from University of Chennai, a Masters Degree in Management from Osmania University, Hyderabad and an MPhil in Public Administration from the Punjab University.

Maj Gen Fernandes is married to Mrs Anita Fernandes, and they have a son Rushil and a daughter Pritika.