Imphal, Feb. 11: Maj. Gen. Konsam Himalay Singh, 56, an army officer from Manipur, has been elevated to the rank of Lieutenant General, making him the first army officer from the Northeast to get this rank.

The Union defence ministry today issued an order on the promotion.

Singh is currently posted as the chief of staff of a strike corps based in Madhya Pradesh, one of three such units of the country. After the promotion, he could become a corps commander.

“His promotion to the rank, the first army officer from the Northeast to reach this far, has brought laurels to the Northeast and for me it is a moment of happiness and I am proud of him,” defence spokesperson Col S.D. Goswami, who is also from Assam, told The Telegraph.

Himalay Singh and Goswami were alumni of Sainik School, Goalpara, of Assam.

Hailing from Charangpat village in Thoubal district of Manipur, Singh was commissioned into the 2 Rajput Regiment in June 1978 and has a long and successful career as an army officer.

Goswami said Singh had held varied commands and instructional appointments.

“The officer has vast operational experience in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir, where he served five tenures in the last 35 years and four tenures in the Northeast. He took part in counter-insurgency operations at Line of Control and Line of Actual Control,” Goswami said.

He was honoured with Yudh Seva Medal in 2000 for commanding a unit during Operation Vijay against Pakistan’s unsuccessful move to occupy Indian territory. He was awarded Ati Vishisht Sewa Medal in 2013.