Take a look at Chief Of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat’s Childhood to early days in service photos and his illustrious 4-decade long military career serving the nation, India’s Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat succumbed to injuries on Wednesday after an Indian Air Force Mi-17 V5 helicopter carrying 14 people crashed in Tamil Nadu’s Coonoor. Sixty-three-year-old Rawat along with his wife and his staff was travelling to Defence Services Staff College in Wellington to deliver a lecture at 2:45 pm. A total of 14 persons were on board the Mi-17 V5 helicopter, of which 13 died. Group Captain Varun Singh SC is the lone survivor of the IAF chopper crash.
A look at old photos of CDS General Bipin Rawat
General Bipin Laxman Singh Rawat was born on March 16, 1958, in Pauri, Uttarakhand to a family that had served in the Indian Army over multiple generations. After graduating from the National Defence Academy (NDA) in 1978, he was commissioned into the Fifth Battalion of the Eleventh Gorkha Rifles of the Infantry, the Battalion which was Commanded by his father Lt. General Laxman Singh Rawat.
One of his life’s first major roles was directing the Infantry Battalion along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Eastern Sector. Between December 31, 2016, to December 31, 2019, he served as the Chief of the Army Staff. In 2019, the government issued a notification amending the Army Rules 1954, paving the way for General Rawat to take charge as the new Chief of Defence Staff.
In his celebrated military career that spanned over 42 years, Gen Bipin Rawat held multiple portfolios as the General Staff Officer at Military Operations Directorate, the Colonel and later Deputy Military Secretary in the Military Secretary’s Branch, the Major General Staff of the Eastern Theatre, Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
Gen Bipin Rawat’s family reacts to his untimely demise
CDS Gen Rawat’s brother in law reacted to his untimely death and stated that they were regularly in touch.
Gen Rawat passes away in IAF chopper crash
Gen Rawat’s demise was earlier confirmed by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in its statement released earlier. As per ANI sources, the mortal remains of India’s foremost military officer & President Army Wives Welfare Association (his wife) along with 11 other deceased co-passengers will be handed over to their families on Thursday in the national capital. The mortal remains of General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika are expected to arrive in Delhi by evening on December 9, as per ANI.
Mortal Remains Of Deceased In Crash To Reach Delhi On Thursday
The mortal remains of former Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat & 11 armed forces personnel will reach New Delhi on December 9.
As India mourns the tragic demise of CDS General Bipin Rawat, it is being ascertained that the mortal remains of former Chief of Army Staff General Rawat, his wife and other armed forces personnel who had lost their lives on Wednesday in a military chopper crash in Tamil Nadu, are expected to arrive in Delhi by Thursday evening.
As per ANI sources, the mortal remains of India’s foremost military officer & President Army Wives Welfare Association (his wife) along with 11 other deceased co-passengers will be handed over to their families on Thursday in the national capital. The mortal remains of General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika are expected to arrive in Delhi by evening on December 9, as per ANI.
Here are the 11 others who lost their lives in the crash along with CDS Gen Bipin Rawat & his wife:
1. Brigadier LS Lidder
2. Lt Col H Singh
3. Wg Cdr PS Chauhan
4. Sqn Ldr K Singh
5. JWO Das
6. JWO Pradeep A
7. Hav Satpal
8. Nk Gursewak Singh
9. Nk Jitender
10. L/Nk Vivek
11. L/Nk S Teja
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