India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, and his wife, Madhulika, bid farewell to their daughter, Tarini, and dogs, before departing their Delhi home on the morning of December 8th, 2021, to catch a flight to Sulur in Tamil Nadu. The couple boarded an Mi-17 V5 helicopter around 11:48 a.m. en route to Wellington, where Gen. Rawat was scheduled to give a lecture at the Defence Services Staff College. However, the chopper crashed just moments before reaching its destination, resulting in the tragic loss of all fourteen passengers. This sudden and unexpected end marked the conclusion of the life of a man who had ascended the ranks of the defence forces at a meteoric pace.
Bipin: The Man behind the Uniform recounts the journey of an NDA cadet who failed to perform a mandatory jump into a swimming pool during his third term; a young Second Lieutenant tricked into losing his ID card at the Amritsar railway station by a 5/11 Gorkha Rifles officer impersonating his sahayak; a Major with a broken leg, carried up to his company post on the Pakistan border to join his men for Dusshera festivities under enemy observation; the Army Chief who resolved that India would openly and immediately retaliate to all acts of cross-border terrorism; and the Chief of Defence Staff who took joy in dancing the jhamre with his Gorkha troops.
Written by bestselling author Rachna Bisht Rawat, this book features in-depth interviews with Bipin Rawat’s loved ones, comrades, and acquaintances, serving as a fitting tribute to one of India’s most remarkable and controversial Generals.
Bipin: The Man Behind the Uniform (Book)
11 Facts about General Bipin Rawat
- Bipin Rawat, the Chief of Army Staff, was born in March 1958.
- He attended St. Edward School in Shimla and the National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla.
- Rawat was commissioned into the Indian Army’s Fifth Battalion and Eleventh Gorkha Rifles in December 1978.
- He attended the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington and achieved a graduate degree. Rawat also completed the command and general staff training at Fort Leavenworth in the United States.
- Rawat holds an M Phil in Defence Studies from the University of Madras and a Diploma in Management and Computer Studies. He also received a Ph.D. from Chaudhary Charan Singh University in Meerut.
- During his 38-year military career, he held various positions, including Brigade commander and General Staff Officer Grade 2 at the Military Operations Directorate.
- Rawat received numerous honours and recognitions for his valour and meritorious service, including UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, and COAS. He was also a member of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force and received the Force Commander’s Commendation twice.
- He was awarded the Sword of Honor by the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.
- Rawat was involved in planning the surgical strike in 2016 and led the 2015 cross-border operation in Myanmar against the NSCN-K insurgents.
- Rawat has authored several pieces on national security and leadership published in various publications.
- General Rawat was the first chief of defence staff (CDS) of India.
Life of General Bipin Rawat
General Bipin Rawat was a renowned Indian Army officer who rose through the ranks to become the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff. Born in March 1958, Rawat attended St. Edward School in Shimla and the National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla. He was commissioned into the Indian Army’s Fifth Battalion and Eleventh Gorkha Rifles in December 1978, beginning his illustrious military career.
Throughout his 38-year tenure in the Indian Army, General Rawat held various positions of responsibility, including Brigade Commander and General Staff Officer Grade 2 at the Military Operations Directorate. He was also awarded several honours and recognitions for his valour and meritorious service, including the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Yudh Seva Medal, Sena Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, and Chief of Army Staff Commendation.
In 2016, Rawat was appointed as the Chief of Army Staff, where he oversaw several significant operations, including the surgical strikes against terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in 2016. He also played a key role in the 2015 cross-border operation in Myanmar, where the Indian Army successfully countered the NSCN-K insurgents.
In December 2019, Rawat was appointed as the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), a newly created position aimed at streamlining the Indian military’s command structure. As CDS, Rawat worked to enhance jointness among the three armed services, focusing on force modernization and implementing several reforms aimed at enhancing India’s military capabilities.
Aside from his illustrious military career, General Rawat was also a scholar, having authored several articles on national security and leadership published in various publications. He also held academic qualifications, including an M.Phil in Defence Studies from the University of Madras, a Diploma in Management and Computer Studies, and a Ph.D. in Military Media Strategic Studies from Chaudhary Charan Singh University.
Unfortunately, General Rawat’s life was cut short on 8 December 2021, when he and his wife, along with several other military personnel, tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. Despite his untimely passing, General Bipin Rawat’s legacy as a visionary military leader and dedicated public servant will continue to inspire generations of Indian citizens for years to come.
