 Chauhan is an alumnus of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Fort William, Kolkata, National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.Chauhan was commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles in 1981.He has held several command, staff and instructional appointments during his career and has experience in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu & Kashmir and Northeast India.