KATHMANDU: President Bidya Devi Bhandari conferred insignia on newly appointed Chief of Army Staff Purna Chandra Thapa amid a special function organised at Sheetal Niwas on Sunday. Thapa, who was appointed as the acting chief of army one month ago when the incumbent CoAS Rajendra Chhetri went on leave before retirement, will assume command of the Nepali Army from today itself. Thapa will lead over 96,000-strong army, the biggest security force of the country, for three years. Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Ishwar Pokharel, ministers, chiefs of constitutional bodies, high level government officials, among others, were present on the occasion. The Cabinet on August 9 had recommended Thapa to the post. After taking the oath of office, Gen Thapa assumed office as the 43rd CoAS.