Who was CDS General Bipin Rawat?

Haroon Nabi

The nation on Friday bid farewell to Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat as he was laid to rest with full military honours at Brar Square crematorium in Delhi cantonment. As per protocol, General Rawat was accorded a 17-gun salute at his funeral where 800 service personnel were in attendance. His daughters Kritika and Tarini performed Rawat and his wife Madhulika’s last rites.

General Rawat, along with his wife and 11 armed forces personnel, were martyred in an Indian Air Force (IAF) chopper crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.

Several political leaders such as Prime Minister, Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, and DMK leaders A Raja and Kanimozhi,J-K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha among others, paid tributes to the CDS and his wife.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar on Friday laid wreaths on the mortal remains of Brigadier Lidder, the only other person to have been positively identified so far by the Army besides Gen Rawat and his wife after the crash. He was laid to rest at the Brar Square with full military honours.

Military commanders of Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh to attend last rites

Senior Military Commanders from neighbouring countries of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan have arrived in New Delhi to attend the final farewell of CDS Gen Bipin Rawat. These include: Gen Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Admiral Ravindra Chandrasiri Wijegunaratne (Retd), Former Chief of Defence Staff of Sri Lanka — CDS Rawat’s course-mate at National Defence College and a dear friend Brig Dorji Rinchen, Deputy Chief Operations Officer, Royal Bhutan Army, Suprobal Janasewashree Lt Gen Bal Krishna Karki, Chief of General Staff, Nepali Army, Lt Gen Waker-UZ-Zaman, Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division, Bangladesh.

Who was CDSC Bipin Rawat ?

Here I am with the Biography of CDS Bipin Rawat, who is unfortunately not with us anymore. General Bipin Rawat was India’s first CDS. The IAF Mi17V5 helicopter crashed on Wednesday in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, with General Bipin Rawat, his wife, and staff on board. He was pronounced martyred by the IAF, along with his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 other members. In this sad and unhappy moment, take a look at his life.

General Bipin Rawat was a general quartet of the Indian army that was appointed the first CD of India on December 30, 2021. He took office on January 1, 2020.

Chief of Defense General Bipin Rawat was born in Uttarakhand. His Father, Laxman Singh Rawat, served the Indian Army and served on the degree of lieutenant general. His mother was the daughter of an ex-MLA from Uttrakhand’s Uttarkashi. General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat survived two girls named Kritika Rawat and Tarini Rawat.

His wife, Dr Madhulika Rawat, studied psychology from Delhi University and was very supportive of CDS Rawat’s service to the nation. She was also the president of the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA), constantly giving back to society.

Dr Madhulika Rawat was very dedicated to the betterment of society and worked tirelessly towards the welfare of Army widows, differently- abled children, cancer patients, and dependents of Indian Army personnel.

A pioneer in social work, Mrs Rawat worked towards empowering army wives by teaching them life skills and prompting them to take courses, making them financially independent. General Bipin Rawat and wife Madhulika Rawat are survived by their two daughters, Kritika Rawat and Tarini.

Bipin Rawat received his formal education at Cambrian Hall School in Dehradun and St. Edward’s School in Shimla and later joined the National Defense Academy, Khadakwasla, and the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, where he was honored with the Sword Honorary.

He also graduated from Defense Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington, and the Senior Command Course of the United States Army Staff and Command College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

It also wore an M.Phil. Degree in Defense Science and Diploma in Administration and Computer Science from Madras University.

He was honored with a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, for his research in strategic studies of military resources.

Military Career: On December 16, 1978, CDS Bipin Rawat was assigned to the 5th Battalion of the 11 Gorkha Rifles, the same unit as his father Laxman Singh Rawat. He has spent 10 years in counterinsurgency operations and has served in various majors to current CDSs. While in the post of major, CDS Bipin Rawat commanded a company in Uri, Jammu, and Kashmir. He commanded his battalion along the LAC at Kibithu as a colonel.

After being promoted to the rank of brigadier, he commanded Sector 5 of the Rashtriya Rifles in Sopore in North Kashmir and the multinational brigade during a Chapter VII mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). Where he was twice awarded the mention commendation of the force commander.

Bipin Rawat assumed the role of commanding general of the 19th Infantry Division in Uri when he was promoted to the rank of major general. As a lieutenant general, he commands the III corps, based in Dimapur before taking command of the southern army in Pune.

After being promoted to the rank of Army Commander, he assumed the post of Commander General (GOCinC) of Southern Command. Soon after, he was promoted to the post of Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army.

Rawat was appointed 27th Chief of Staff of the Army by the Government of India on December 17, 2016, and took office on December 31, 2016.

He was also the 57th and final Chairman of the Heads of State Committee -Major of the Indian Army. Appointed first CDS on December 30, 2019, and took office on January 1, 2020.

He was instrumental in reducing militancy in the northeast, with one of the highlights of his career in the 2015 cross-border operation in Myanmar.

In which the Indian military responded successfully to an ambush by NSCNK militants. The mission was carried out by the operational command of III Corps Dimapur under the supervision of Rawat.

This was also part of the planning for the 2016 surgical attack, in which the Indian military crossed the line of control into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Rawat is said to have been monitoring developments from the southern block of New Delhi.

The Bipin Rawat Biography would be incomplete without mentioning honors. During his career that has gone through more than 40 years, CDS General Bipin Rawat has received many medals and honors for distinguished service.

Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Yudh Seva Medal, Sena Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, Wound Medal, Samanya Seva Medal, Special Service Medal, Operation Parakram Medal, Sainya Seva Medal,High Altitude Service Medal, Videsh Seva Medal, 50th Anniversary of Independence Medal, 30 Years Long Service Medal, 20 Years Long Service Medal, 9 Years Long Service Medal and MONUSCO

Rawat also played a key role in the formation of the army. He was instrumental in restructuring the military to reduce administrative interference, reduce duplicity, and increase combat potential.

He also ensured that the man behind the car remained important, arming new assault rifles bought in the United States. He also played a vital role in the modernization of the army.

However, his tenure was also marked by controversy. Under his tenure, the military accepted the government’s decision to impose the disability pension, angering disabled veterans by the military fraternity.

The Chief of Defense of the Indian Armed Forces was declared Martyred by the Indian Air Force on Wednesday. He was aboard the IAF Mi 175 V5 helicopter which crashed near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu.

Daughters of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, Kritika and Tarini, on Friday paid floral tributes to their parents in the national capital. The grandchildren of the CDS also paid final respect to their grandparents.

General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat were among the 13 people who died in the military helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu’s Coonnor on Wednesday.

Haroon Nabi, is the Editor in Chief of Srinagar based News Agency Kashmir Dot Com (KDC), based in Srinagar Kashmir. Find him on Twitter @Askharoon