India, Oct. 22 -- 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 ...