Commissioned as an officer in 19 Hyderabad Regiment (now Kumaon Regiment) on 30th Aug 1923, he commanded 6/19 Hyderabad Regiment (now 6 Kumaon) from 17th Dec 1942 to 28th Aug 1945. He was the first Indian Commandant of The Kumaon Regiment Centre from 2nd Oct 1946 to 12th Dec 1946.

Later, he was Commander of 268 Infantry Brigade British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) in JAPAN in 1946-47. He was also Brigade Commander of the famous Lushai Brigade in Burma in 1947. In Dec 1947 he was appointed General Officer Commanding Madras Area and was Adjutant General at Army Headquarters from Jan 1948 to Aug 1948. Later he commanded 5 Corps (later designated as 15 Corps). He was Chief of the Army Staff from 14th May 1955 to 7th May 1957.

He was Governor of Assam from 1959 to 1962, Governor of Andhra Pradesh from 1962 to 1964 and Governor of Mysore (now Karnataka) from 1964 to 1965. He passed away on 27th Dec 1977.