From childhood to early days in service, photos of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat:
General Bipin Rawat and his wife died today after a military chopper crashed in Tamil Nadu, killing 13 on board. The only survivor, an Air Force Group Captain, is being treated for severe burns.
The crash took place shortly after the Russian-made Mi-17 V5 chopper took off from the Air Force base in Sulur, Coimbatore, for Wellington in the Nilgiri Hills.
“With deep regret, it has now been ascertained that Gen Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat and 11 other persons on board have died in the unfortunate accident," the Indian Air Force (IAF) said in a Twitter post late Wednesday.
Cremation of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and his wife to be done on Friday (December 10) in Delhi Cantonment. Their mortal remains are expected to arrive in the National Capital in a military plane by tomorrow evening.
General Bipin Rawat was the first officer of the Indian armed forces to hold the post of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in 2019.
General Bipin Rawat was named CDS just a day before he was to retire as the Indian Army chief, a position that he held for a full three-year term. General Bipin Rawat was the fourth officer from the Gorkha Regiment to become the Chief of Army Staff.
As Chief of Defence Staff, General Rawat was overseeing the implementation of an ambitious tri-services modernisation plan to bring synergy among the armed forces and enhance their overall combat capabilities.
General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika are survived by two daughters.
(with inputs from sources)
