A corner of the Army chief’s office in New Delhi’s South Block has quietly evolved over the years, reflecting the choices of successive chiefs of the world’s second-largest army.
From Field Marshall Philip Chetwode’s ‘country first’ motto that hung on the wood-panelled wall for decades to Ramdhari Singh Dinkar’s stirring verses and now a Field Marshal’s ceremonial baton, each change has reinforced the office’s military character and gravitas, people aware of the matter said on Thursday.
It is the prerogative of an Army chief to shape the office to his own taste, they added.
The corner, which also displays a pair of elephant tusks, has long served as a favoured backdrop for successive Army chiefs to strike a pose with visiting dignitaries and exchange mementos. It has also been the setting for photographs of outgoing chiefs with their successors during the change of command.
‘Country-first' motto
The longest-standing fixture in the Army chief’s office was Field Marshal Philip W Chetwode’s motto, delivered by him at the inauguration of the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun in 1932.
It read, “The safety, honour and welfare of your country come first, always and every time. The honour, welfare and comfort of the men you command come next. Your own ease, comfort and safety come last, always and every time.”
Chetwode’s words remained on the wall for decades, including during General VP Malik’s tenure as Army chief from 1997 to 2000, Malik confirmed to HT.
The two most recent Army chiefs added their own touch to the office.
Dinkar's verse
After General Upendra Dwivedi took over as Army chief in 2024, the Chetwode motto gave way to verses from Ramdhari Singh Dinkar’s poem Shakti Aur Kshama, which underscores that restraint and forgiveness must be backed by strength.
Written in Hindi, it loosely translates to: “Truth be told, humility shines brightest when backed by the arrow; only the peace accord of those with strength is revered. The world values patience, forgiveness and compassion only when there’s true strength behind them.”
Other changes
Dwivedi, who retired in June 2026, completed the corner’s makeover by installing portraits of Field Marshals Sam Manekshaw and KM Cariappa.
Dinkar’s verses made way for the Field Marshal’s baton under the current Army chief, General Dhiraj Seth. Portraits of the two military legends have also been replaced with newer versions, recasting the corner as a tribute to India’s Field Marshals.
Seth has made another change. In the adjacent Army chief’s lounge, the painting titled Karam Kshetra—Field of Deeds has been replaced by the Indian Army emblem. The Karam Kshetra artwork had replaced an iconic painting depicting the signing of the Instrument of Surrender at the end of the 1971 war with Pakistan, which led to the liberation of Bangladesh.
Its removal in December 2024 sparked questions within sections of the defence establishment. The Mahabharata-inspired painting featured Arjuna riding his chariot driven by Lord Krishna, snow-capped mountains, Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh and the ancient philosopher Chanakya, alongside modern military hardware, including tanks, infantry combat vehicles, light combat helicopters, Apache attack helicopters, multi-barrel rocket launchers and drones.
Only a handful of senior officers, including Seth and Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, continue to work out of South Block—the defence ministry has relocated to Kartavya Bhavan-2. Both the South and North Blocks will eventually be transformed into the Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum, envisioned as the world’s largest museum, spanning 155,000 square metres.