Kathmandu, Sept 9: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has conferred the rank insignia on newly appointed Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), Prabhuram Sharma, today. CoAS Sharma took the oath of office and secrecy amidst a special ceremony held at President's Office, Shital Niwas.    

Sharma is the 44th CoAS of the Nepali Army, the major security agency of the country. He is formally assuming the office for three year's term from today itself.    

The special ceremony was attended by Prime Minister and Defence Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana, Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota, and Chairperson of National Assembly, Ganesh Prasad Timilsina.    

Earlier, President Bhandari had appointed Sharma as new CoAS upon the recommendation of the government to be effective today itself.    
Sharma is scheduled to conduct puja at Nishan Bhagawati temple in Army Headquarters. A contingent of the Nepali Army will accord a guard of honour to the new CoAS Sharma. He is also addressing a programme to be attended by generals.    

Sharma has got training on national defence from India, on terrorism and security from the US, on defence from Thailand and Pakistan, and high-level training on peace army from Bangladesh. Sharma has carried out responsibilities in various capacities in the Nepal Army including director-general on war action. He is well aware of national and international security and contemporary issues. Sharma has also led the UN peacekeeping missions.    

CoAS Sharma has done MA in history from Tribhuvan University and an MPhil on counter defence and strategy from the Madras University of India.    

With the appointment of the new CoAS, the three-year term of former CoAS Purna Chandra Thapa expired today.