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Bipin Rawat

About Bipin Rawat

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Who is General Bipin Rawat

Days after the government announced the creation of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) post, retiring Army chief, General Bipin Rawat, was appointed the first tri-service chief with effect from December 31, 2019. General Rawat was the first sitting Chief of Army Staff to be appointed to the top post. The government had initially amended the Army rules to extend the age of superannuation from 62 years to 65 years, paving the way for the appointment. The CDS is a one-point advisor to the government on matters related to the military and will function with the main aim of integrating the three services — Army, Navy and the Air Force. CDS would also be the permanent Chief of Staff Committee (COSC).
 
General Bipin Rawat had taken over the reins of the Indian Army from General Dalbir Singh Suhag on December 17, 2016, as the 27th Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
 
On December 8, 2021, the 63-year-old's life was cut short after a tragic chopper crash in the Nilgiri Hills in Tamil Nadu in which Rawat, his wife and 11 others on board the ill-fated helicopter.
 
The copter carrying General Rawat and his entourage crashed in apparently foggy conditions, the IAF and other officials said. He is survived by two daughters.

 
Background and Indian Army Service
 
Born in Pauri, Uttarakhand on March 16, 1958, his family had been serving in the Indian Army for multiple generations. His father Laxman Singh Rawat was from Sainj village of the Pauri Garhwal district and rose to the rank of Lt General.
 
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Rawat was commissioned into the Indian Army in December 1978 in the same unit as his father, the fifth battalion of 11 Gorkha Rifles. The first CDS is a veteran of counterinsurgency warfare and has served in some of the most difficult terrains of India, including the northern and eastern commands.
 
During his 43-years in service, Rawat served as a Brigade Commander, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-C) Southern Command, General Staff Officer Grade 2 at the Military Operations Directorate, Colonel Military Secretary and Deputy Military Secretary in the Military Secretary’s Branch and Senior Instructor in the Junior Command Wing. He was also a part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force and has commanded a multinational brigade in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
 
Rawat became the Vice-Chief of Army Staff before becoming the fourth officer from the Gorkha Brigade to become the COAS.
 
He was instrumental in reducing the militancy in the Northeast, with one of the highlights of his career being the 2015 cross-border operation into Myanmar in which the Indian Army successfully responded to an ambush by NSCN-K militants. The mission was conducted from the operation command of Dimapur-based III Corps under Rawat's supervision.
 
He was also part of the planning for the 2016 surgical strikes, in which the Indian Army went across the Line of Control into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Rawat, it was reported, was monitoring the developments from South Block in New Delhi.
 
During his service, General Rawat had been decorated with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, Yudh Seva Medal, and Sena Medal.

Latest Updates on Bipin Rawat

The Mi-17 crash that killed General Bipin Rawat, his wife, and 11 others was caused by pilot error due to spatial disorientation amid bad weather, a defence report revealed

Updated On: 20 Dec 2024 | 10:17 AM IST

Gen Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, and many other armed forces personnel had died after the military helicopter they were travelling in crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu

Updated On: 20 Dec 2024 | 2:33 PM IST

DNA fingerprinting has also helped identify mortal remains in the helicopter crash that killed then Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat

Updated On: 02 May 2023 | 9:56 AM IST

He said that the irreparable loss caused to the country by Rawat's sudden death could never be recovered

Updated On: 15 Apr 2023 | 8:36 AM IST

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan visited Air Force Station and forward areas in North Bengal along with General Officer Commanding, Trishakti Corps on April 8-9.

Updated On: 09 Apr 2023 | 4:39 PM IST

The Indian Navy on Wednesday announced instituting two awards in the memory of India's first Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat.

Updated On: 16 Mar 2023 | 7:29 AM IST

PM Modi said that he and Albanese earlier today discussed in detail various aspects of mutual cooperation

Updated On: 10 Mar 2023 | 5:21 PM IST

New eligibility conditions are surprising

Updated On: 09 Jun 2022 | 10:50 PM IST

India's military has had just one CDS, or tri-service chief: General Bipin Rawat

Updated On: 08 Jun 2022 | 5:33 PM IST

The untimely demise of the first chief of defence staff has sent the issue of joint theatres back to the start line

Updated On: 05 May 2022 | 10:33 PM IST

This year, no names were announced for 'Bharat Ratna', India's highest civilian award, which was last awarded in 2019 to Pranab Mukherjee, Nanaji Deshmukh and Bhupen Hazarika

Updated On: 21 Mar 2022 | 11:01 PM IST

He said a leader of the party had even called former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Rawat a 'streetside hooligan'

Updated On: 10 Feb 2022 | 6:06 PM IST

128 Padma Awards were conferred this year on the eve of the 73rd Republic Day

Updated On: 26 Jan 2022 | 2:29 AM IST

Chandrasekaran, Nadella, Pichai, Ella also figure in the civilian awards list

Updated On: 26 Jan 2022 | 12:33 AM IST

The Gujarat government on Monday named an under-bridge in Rajkot after General Bipin Rawat to honour the country's first Chief of Defence Staff who died in a chopper crash in December.

Updated On: 24 Jan 2022 | 3:14 PM IST

Gen Bipin Rawat's younger brother Col (retd) Vijay Rawat, who recently joined the BJP, on Sunday said he is not contesting the upcoming assembly polls in Uttarakhand.

Updated On: 23 Jan 2022 | 12:15 PM IST

Vijay Rawat, who retired as a colonel from the army, joined the BJP in the presence of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni

Updated On: 19 Jan 2022 | 11:37 PM IST

Sudden weather change led to pilots; spatial disorientation: Court of Inquiry

Updated On: 14 Jan 2022 | 11:27 PM IST

Court of Inquiry ruled out mechanical failure, sabotage or negligence as cause of chopper crash that killed CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, 13 others, says IAF

Updated On: 14 Jan 2022 | 8:25 PM IST

Earlier, sources suggested the crash was not a result of any technical error in the IAF helicopter

Updated On: 06 Jan 2022 | 12:18 AM IST