An Indian Air Force helicopter carrying 14 army personnel, including chief of defence staff Bipin Rawat, crashed near Coonoor in the nearby hilly Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. The IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter was airborne from Sulur for Wellington. While the whole nation is praying for Rawat’s wellbeing, Harcharanjit Singh Panag, a retired lieutenant general of the Indian Army, confirms in his tweet that Rawat is dead.
Bipin Rawat was the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff appointed on January 1, 2020. He was appointed the head of the newly created Department of Military Affairs in one of the most significant reorganisations in the Defence Ministry in decades.
Here are some facts about him:
Rawat was a man with experience in counter-terrorism, high altitude warfare and mechanized warfare. He had an experience in the south, north and northeast – all key attack points into India.
In June 2015, when Indian army commandoes crossed the border to destroy the terrorist camps of Naga terrorists, Rawat was the GoC there. In just 40 minutes, the army got the job done and was a major achievement of the government then that helped bring some peace to Nagaland. He miraculously survived a single-engine helicopter crash during the time, minutes after it took off from Nagaland.
He enjoyed widespread publicity for his leadership, pragmatic outlook and humility. No wonder, he was known as Soldiers’ general. Rawat fully understood that front-line soldiers and all ranks and files played a major role in the defence of our nation. He never failed to take a stand for his honest subordinates and colleagues.
Principles: Well, he strictly believes Indian armed forces are apolitical in nature; thus, its officers and men (including women) should desist from politics of all hues.
Discipline: As chief of army staff; he initiated a number of disciplinary measures – no misuse of sahayaks ( trained soldiers turned orderlies) ; no misuse of military funds; no misuse of official position and powers; no sexual, religious and financial misconduct.
Bipin Rawat served as the 27th Chief general of the Indian army force which is the highest position in the Ins army. He got this position on 27th September 2017 and served for 3 years.
On 30 December 2019 he was given the position of Chief of Defence Staff. He was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and Uttam Yudh Seva Medal for his exceptional services in the Indian Army.