Gen Bipin Rawat was India’s first Chief of Defence Staff & a decorated commander, known for his witty in the Indian army. He was appointed for checking and executing the highly ambitious amendments that our Indian military undergoes. He took over the post of CDS on January 1, 2020. General Bipin Rawat was focused to work out this reform i.e. jointness and integration with the creation of four new theatre commands as well as military modernization.
Most of his dreams and plans are unfulfilled due to his death on Wednesday 8th December in the Mi-17V5 chopper crash. He was traveling with his wife Madhulika along with other 11 Army and IAF personnel on his way to Defence Service Staff College at Wellington from Tamil Nadu. The other 11 personnel were Brigadier LS Lidder, Lt Col H Singh, Wg Cdr PS Chauhan, Sqn Ldr K Singh, JWO Das, JWO Pradeep A, Hav Satpal, Gursewak Singh, NK Jitendar, L/Nk Vivek, and L/Nk S Teja. Gen Bipin Rawat was on his way to give a lecture at the tri-service military institute. The IAF chopper crashed in the Coonoor just a few minutes away from the destination. The only survivor from the crash Group Captain Varun Singh is under treatment at the Military Hospital in Wellington.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said, “General Rawat had served the country with exceptional courage and diligence”. He further added that being the first CDS, he had plans ready for the jointness of India’s Armed Forces.
