Hyderabad, July 31 (NSS): Brig. Ajeet Ashok Deshpande, Commandant, AOC Centre, is retiring from the Indian Army today after a distinguished service of 34 years. He joined OTA Chennai after his graduation in Zoology Honours from Fergusson College, Pune and got commissioned into the Ordnance Corps on August 25, 1990.
He did his attachment along the line of control in the Poonch Sector and during his 34 years in the Army served in various areas from the mountains of Leh, Kargil & Sikkim to the dunes of Rajasthan. He attained an instructor grading in all courses attended by him & is also a graduate from the prestigious Defence Services Staff College Wellington. In addition, he has done his M Sc in Defence & Strategic Studies from the Madras University and is also an MBA in Supply Chain Management from the Rani Durgavati Vishwa Vidyalaya.
The Officer during his service held varied appointments in his career which includes being an Instructor at Military College of Materials Management, Jabalpur as a Captain, serving in an Infantary DOU during Op Parakram, AQMG of an Infantry Brigade and Deputy Commandant of an FOD. He commanded COD Chheoki at Allahabad which earned him the Army Commanders Commendation Card. In his second stint at Military College of Materials Management, he was the Colonel GS Training when he carried out a study on a critical subject which was adjudged as the Best Study at ARTRAC, for which he was awarded the Army Commanders Appreciation Card. It was during this period that the first OOIT and first ALMC Courses were introduced at Military College of Materials Management. In addition, he also was the Commander FOTS, an appointment also held by his father Col AN Deshpande from 1987 to 1989. He then moved to IHQ of MoD (Army), Delhi as Director OS (Adm) for three years where he recd the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card.
He later moved to Srinagar; the most dynamic and volatile location of the Indian Army as Brig OS and was part of history when Article 370 was abrogated in the Valley on 05 Aug 2019. As Commandant AOC Centre and OIC Records he conducted the 11th Reunion, trained a contingent led by a Women Officer for the RD Parade at Rajpath, carried out the first ever Central Civilian Recruitment and the First batch of Agniveers underwent training during his command and passed out successfully.
Many infrastructural developments also happened during this period like construction of Tuskers Annexe a guestroom complex next to the Tuskers Institute, creation of Amrit Sarovar, creation of a wellness Centre in addition to many others. The Officer post-retirement is settling down at Secunderabad and would join the fraternity of proud Indian Army Veterans.
