New Delhi: The government has decided to honour Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat with the Param Vishisht Sewa Medal (PVSM) for his distinguished services, reports wire agency ANI. This is highly unusual, reports Times Now. Because, normally, it is the Army Chief himself who awards the medal, usually to Lt. Generals or their counterpart in the Navy or the Indian Air Force. But, in this case, the recommendation has come from the Defence Ministry.
The TV channel pointed out that normally army chiefs are appointed when they already have a PVSM. General Rawat was not awarded the PVSM when he was the Southern Army Commander or Vice Chief of Army Staff. This was perhaps the last opportunity for him to be awarded the PVSM as he would have retired before the next Republic Day, it is pointed out. Government sources said Rawat has been involved in the rightsizing of the Army.
