Admiral Verma retired as the Chief of Naval Staff on August 31, 2012. He is expected to join his new assignment soon.

Admiral Verma’s appointment as High Commissioner to Canada is significant as the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is expected to visit India next week.

While allowing Admiral Verma to open a new chapter in India-Canada relationship, the Government’s decision was a message to the former Chief of Army Staff General Vijay Kumar Singh who knocked the doors of the apex court on the controversy over of his date of birth.

The matter, however, was not settled in favour of General VK Singh who had to retire on May 31, 2012, having served as Chief of Army Staff for 26 months.

General Singh raised some issues on alleged corruption in defence purchases and after retirement has opted to join the anti-graft movement led by Anna Hazare.

General Singh was commissioned into the 2nd Battalion of The Rajput Regiment (Kali Chindi) on June 14, 1970. He went on to command the same unit when it was positioned along the Line of Control with Pakistan.

He graduated from the Defence Services Staff College as a honours graduate of the United States Army Infantry School, a graduate of the Rangers Course at Fort Benning and the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. In the US for the Rangers course, he came first in combat operations.

General Singh is experienced in counter insurgency operations and high altitude operations. He has also seen action in the 1971 Bangladesh war. During his career he has served in various crucial positions. He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) for distinguished service while commanding a counter-insurgency force.

He became Chief of Army Staff on March 31, 2010 and was the first commando to achieve that position and was the first serving officer of the Indian Army to drag Government to the court of law.

Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma who has recently been appointed as High Commissioner of India to Canada was born on November 14, 1951. He joined the Indian Navy at the age of 19. He studied at Goethals Memorial School Kurseong, Royal Naval Staff College in the UK, and the Naval War College in the US.

Admiral Verma took charge of the Naval Academy in Goa, and subsequently became commander of a series of Indian Navy ships, including INS Ranvir (D54) and INS Viraat, India's only aircraft carrier. He rose to the rank of Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Eastern Naval Command. He was appointed Chief of the Indian Navy upon the retirement of Sureesh Mehta on August 31, 2009.

During his career he has been awarded several decorations, including the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.