Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
No Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch
1 Lockhart , Rob General Sir Rob Lockhart KCB CIE MC ( 1893-1981 ) 15 August 1947 31 December 1947 139 days Indian Army
2 Elmhirst , Thomas Air Marshal Sir Thomas Elmhirst KBE , CB , AFC , DL ( 1895-1982 ) 31 December 1947 15 January 1949 1 year , 15 days Indian Air Force
3 Parry , Edward Admiral Sir William Edward Parry KCB ( 1893-1970 ) 26 January 1950 13 October 1951 1 year , 260 days Indian Navy
4 Cariappa , K M General K. M. Cariappa OBE ( 1899-1993 ) 14 October 1951 14 January 1953 1 year , 92 days Indian Army
5 Pizey , Charles Admiral Sir Charles Pizey KBE CB DSO* DL ( 1899-1993 ) 14 January 1953 22 July 1955 2 years , 189 days Indian Navy
6 Mukerjee , Subroto Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee OBE ( 1911-1960 ) 22 July 1955 8 November 1960 5 years , 109 days Indian Air Force
7 Thimayya , K S General Kodandera Subayya Thimayya DSO ( 1906-1965 ) 9 November 1960 7 May 1961 179 days Indian Army
8 Katari , Ram Dass Vice Admiral Ram Dass Katari PVSM , AVSM ( 1911-1983 ) 7 May 1961 4 June 1962 1 year , 28 days Indian Navy
9 Engineer , Aspy Air Marshal Aspy Engineer DFC ( 1912-2002 ) 4 June 1962 24 July 1964 2 years , 50 days Indian Air Force
10 Soman , Bhaskar Sadashiv Vice Admiral Bhaskar Sadashiv Soman ( 1913-1995 ) 24 July 1964 3 March 1966 1 year , 222 days Indian Navy
11 Chaudhuri , Jayanto Nath General Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri OBE ( 1908-1983 ) 3 March 1966 7 June 1966 96 days Indian Army
12 Singh , Arjan Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh DFC ( 1919-2017 ) 7 June 1966 15 July 1969 3 years , 38 days Indian Air Force
13 Chatterji , Adhar Kumar Admiral Adhar Kumar Chatterji ( 1914-2001 ) 15 July 1969 24 February 1970 224 days Indian Navy
14 Manekshaw , Sam Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw MC ( 1914-2008 ) 24 February 1970 15 January 1973 2 years , 326 days Indian Army
15 Bewoor , Gopal General Gopal Gurunath Bewoor PVSM ( 1916-1989 ) 15 January 1973 1 January 1975 1 year , 351 days Indian Army
16 Mehra , Om Prakash Air Chief Marshal Om Prakash Mehra PVSM ( 1919-2015 ) 1 January 1975 31 January 1976 1 year , 30 days Indian Air Force
17 Kohli , Sourendra Nath Admiral Sourendra Nath Kohli PVSM ( 1916-2007 ) 31 January 1976 29 February 1976 2 years , 326 days Indian Navy
18 Raina , Tapishwar General Tapishwar Narain Raina MVC ( 1921-1980 ) 29 February 1976 31 May 1978 2 years , 92 days Indian Army
19 Moolgavkar , Hrushikesh Air Chief Marshal Hrushikesh Moolgavkar PVSM , MVC ( 1920-2015 ) 31 May 1978 30 August 1978 91 days Indian Air Force
20 Cursetji , Jal Admiral Jal Cursetji PVSM ( 1919-1991 ) 30 August 1978 1 March 1979 183 days Indian Navy
List of Chairmen
The Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, was the position of hierarchy in the Indian Armed Forces, roughly based on the British Chiefs of Staff Committee. The senior-most Chief of Staff was appointed to serve as a Chairman until he retired. The last Chairman was the Chief of the Army Staff General Bipin Rawat. The position ceased to exists with the creation of the Chief of Defence Staff.