THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sainik School Kazhakootam has something to cheer about. The school’s old boy Lieutenant General Cherish Mathson, General Officer Commanding in Chief, South-Western Command, has taken over as Colonel of the Regiment of Garhwal Rifles of the Indian Army.
What is interesting is that he succeeds Lieutenant General Sarath Chand, Vice Chief of Army Staff, to this post. Sarath is also an alumni of Sainik School Kazhakootam . Colonel of the Regiment is traditionally the head of the regimental affairs, including training, administration welfare and interactions with the veterans and their families. Colonel of the Regiment is nominated by his seniority.
Mathson will shoulder regimental duties in addition to his primary responsibility of commanding the South-Western Army, an army spokesperson said. Mathson, who hails from Eraviperoor, Tiruvalla, took over at a solemn military ceremony held at Lansdowne, Uttarakhand. He paid tributes to martyrs at the War Memorial and later reviewed a Guard of Honour presented to him by the Special Guard of Garhwal Rifles Regimental Centre.Mathson hails from Maliyekkal House, Eraviperoor, Thiruvalla, and was Commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in 1980.