GENERAL BIPIN RAWAT'S DEMISE "A GREAT NATIONAL LOSS"
It was with the great shock and dismay, nation received the tragic news of the untimely demise of the country's first Chief of defence staff (CDS) General Rawat,
his wife Madhulika Rawatand other defense personnels in a horrific Helicopter crash in the mountains of Nilgirisin (Tamilnadu),
every citizen of the country was moved by this tragedy, in his death nation has lost an illustrative soldier and pioneer defense strategist,
who was first the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), he was also serving as the head of the three supreme forces in the country.
General Bipin Rawat was a highly decorated senior military officer and a four-star general, who died with his boots on,he was en-route to the
Defence Services Staff College in Wellington (The Nilgiris) to address the young military officers of Army, The Navy and Airforce,
who will one day become future leaders of the armed forces.
This calamity could not have struck at a worst time, given the nation faces unprecedented geopolitical security challenges from both the sides of
International Border China and Pakistan, General Rawat after taking over first Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) of Indian Armed forces,
the process of strategic military reforms was just beginning to take shape under his the helmsmanship.
General Rawat believed the army is for serving the nation, he was a true patriot and an outstanding Military Leader, who greatly contributed to the modernizing India’s
armed forces and security apparatus, he was known as a transformation-oriented Chief of Army Staff (COAS) who endeavored to prepare our Army for the wars and conflicts
of the 21st century.
General Rawat was the first sitting Chief of Army Staff (COAS) to be appointed as the Chief of defense staff (CDS), he had an illustrious career spanning over four decades,
during which he served with distinction in several conflict-ridden areas, including Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast.
Right from his initial days when he joined army, he was known as a very bright youngster who received sword of honour after his training at Indian Military Academy Dehradun,
further he “grew up very well, to the higher ranks of Army because of individual capabilities” sincerity utmost commitment and devotion,
he was also known as a balanced officer; sincere, loyal, hard working and a highly disciplined, Gen Bipin Rawat was also known as a fearless speaker,
who would speak straight without mincing any words, to the annoyance of his seniors in the Army.
General Bipin Rawat always believed the army is for serving the nation.
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION.
Bipin Rawat was born on 16 March 1958 in Pauri town of Pauri Garhwal district in Uttar pradesh (now Uttarakhand state) in Garhwali Rajput family,
he had studied in cambrian high school Dehradun and at St Edward School Shimla, he then joined National Defense academy (NDA) Khadakwasla,
which is the only tri-service institution in the country that undertakes a three year three year training course along graduation for cadets after 10+2,
before proceeding for pre-commissioning training at the respective service academies.
After he passed out from NDA, he went to the Indian Military Academy (IMA) Dehradun, where he was graduated first in the order of merit and was awarded the prestigious
'Sword of Honour'.
His family had been serving in the Indian Army for multiple generations, his father late Lt-General Lakshman Singh Rawat(1930–2015) also had served the Indian Army in
Gorkha regiment, in 1988 he retired as the deputy Deputy Chief of the Army Staff.
General Bipin Rawat was also awarded an honorary doctorate by Chaudhary Charan Singh University (CCS University) Meerut (UP) for his research on military-media strategic
studies. he also studied at the Defence service staff college, Wellington, General Bipin Rawat had also attended the prestigious command and General staff course at the
fort Leavenworth in the US.
The General Officer has had a distinguished career in the Indian Army, tenating a number of important command and staff appointments.
GENERAL RAWAT'S ILLUSTRATIVE MILITARY CAREER.
Gen Bipin Rawat had an illustrious Military career spanning over four decades, tenating a number of important command and staff appointments in several conflict-ridden areas,
including Jammu and Kashmir and the North-east.
Gen Biin Rawat right from Indian Military Academy (IMA) Dehradun, where he was graduated first in the order of merit and was awarded the prestigious 'Sword of Honour'.
After completing his army training at Indian Military Academy (IMA), he was inducted in the army on the 16h Dec, 1978 as a commissioned officer in 11th Gorkha regiment,
where his father Lt Gen Lakshman Singh Rawat was also commissioned.
General Bipin Rawat was a highly decorated Army officer who often commanded units in different conflict ridden regions in the country, Jammu Kashmir and Northeast.
In his distinguished career in the Indian Army, spanning over four decades,he held varied commands and as well as staff appointments,
Gen Rawat was the first sitting Chief of Army Staff to be appointed as the Chief of defence staff (CDS).
Gen Rawat had a varied experience in the Army and held various significant position, operationally, he had a very extensive experience of conducting several successful
counter-insurgny operations, where he spent ten years in these counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir and in the northeast, as a Major he had commanded a company in Uri,
Jammu and Kashmir, again as a colonel, he commanded his infantry battalion, the 5th battalion,the 11 Gorkha Rifles, in the eastern sector along the
Line of Actual Control (LOC) at Kibithu (Arunachal Pradesh), when he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier,he commanded 5 Sector of Rashtriya Rifles
in Sopore in Baramulla district in jammu and Kashmir, where he oversaw anti-militancy operations in the state, after being promoted to the rank of a Lt general,
he commanded III Corps, headquartered in Dimapur (Nagaland). he was also the first adjutant when he commanded his battalion.
Gen Rawat also had played a crucial role in successfully carrying out the 2015 cross-border operation against insurgents into Myanmar belonging to NSCN-K in response to a
major ambush by Naga militants.
He was also part of the core planning group for the 2016 historical surgical strikes, in which the Indian Army went across the Line of Control into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir,
it was reported, he was monitoring the developments from South Block in New Delhi.
Gen Rawat was part of the decision-making process of the Army’s operations to capture the heights on Kailash ranges in August 2020,
which gave India leverage in negotiations.
When he was promoted to the rank of Army Commander grade, he assumed the post of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) Southern Command In Pune on 1 January 2016.
After a short stint as General Officer Commanding (GOC) there, he assumed the post of Vice Chief of Army Staff on 1 September 2016 at Army headquarters in New Delhi.
Seeing his wide and varied experience in the army, on 17 December 2016, Government of India appointed Bipin Rawat as the 26th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) a fter the
retirement of the then Chief of staff (COAS) General Dalbir Singh Suhag,
General Rawat also had the privilege of serving as the 57th and last Chairman of the Chief's of Staff Committee.
General Bipin Rawat was the the first sitting Chief of Army Staff to be appointed as the country's first Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) India,
he was appointed for this post o n January 1st 2020.
UN PEACEKEEPING.
As a UN peacekeeper, he had commanded a Multinational Brigade in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) in the UNO's peace keeping force in 2008-2009,
where he served with great distinction and his work was fully appreciated, he was Twice awarded the Force Commander’s Commendation.
GENERAL RAWAT'S DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE NATION.
General Bipin Rawat always believed the army is for serving the nation, right from his initial days, when he joined army,
he was known as a very bright youngster who received sword of honour after his training at Indian Military Academy Dehradun,
he “grew up very well to the higher ranks in the army because of individual capabilities” for his sincerity, utmost commitment and devotion,
he was also known as a balanced officer; sincere, loyal, hard working and a highly disciplined officer.
CDS General Rawat was a strategic military thinker, outstanding military commander with farsightedness who had a grand vision and clarity of the direction for
how our armed forces should be moving in the next few decades, his Insights and perspective on strategic matters were exceptional.
Gen Rawat was a great army leader who was always "open to reform” he was somebody who could take tough decisions on how the Army should be reformed he had initiated
several restructuring of Military Commands for optimal utilization of resources by bringing about jointness in operations, including through establishment of
joint/theater commands.
He was known to be forthright in his approach, fearless and the outstanding military commander who will be blunt at times, as Army Chief and Chief of Defense staff,
he gave several statements much to the dislike of many, and ruffled many feathers with his remarks, he was also known as a fearless speaker, who would speak straight
without mincing any words, much to the annoyance of his seniors in the Army, he always believed the army is for serving the nation and had won much respect from people.
General Rawat had initiated restructuring of Military Commands for optimal utilization of resources by bringing about jointness in operations,
including through establishment of joint or theater commands.
Much before the Doklam standoff in 2017, Gen Rawat had highlighted that India's primary and long-term security challenge would come from an increasingly
assertive China and that India needed to modernize its armed forces to confront it. hence General Rawat was all for upgrading border infrastructure and government
started improving border infrastructure like road, bridges and tunnels so that in case of any border conflict, troops and other Military heavy weapons and other
military equipment can reach in shortest possible time.
General Rawat had initiated restructuring of Military Commands for optimal utilization of resources by bringing about jointness in operations,
including through establishment of joint theater commands.
For him national interest was paramount as he wanted the Indian army of the 21st century.
Philanthropy.
Beside being a tough general, there was also a humane side of General Rawat, a portion of the salary he used to contribute to the PM CARE FUND,
for the country's needy.he used to contribute 20 percent of the total salary, Rs.50,000/per month towards the PM CARE fund for Covid-19 over a period
of one year for the needy. This step taken by him to help the needy along with national service has won the hearts of all countrymen all,
GENERAL RAWAT WANTED INDIA TO BE ATMA NIRBHAR (SELF-RELIANT).
(IN MANUFACTURING OF WEAPONS).
Even after over seven decades of independence, country already having vast and varied developed defense manufacturing facilities,
robust Research and Development(R and D) facilities and abundance of highly trained technical people,
India still being the one of the largest importers of weapons and ammunition, General Rawat wanted India to be Atma Nirbhar(self-reliant) in the defense production,
he wanted country should start indigenous production of defense equipments weapons and systems keeping into the future wars of 21st century.
FIRST CHIEF OF DEFENSE STAFF (CDS) OF INDIA.
General Bipin Rawat was the first sitting Chief of Army Staff to be appointed as the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) India,
he was appointed for this post on January 1st, 2020 until his death in December 8th 2021. The Chief of Defense Staff (CDS)
is the senior-most and highest-ranking uniformed officer on active duty in the Indian military and he is aso the principal staff officer and
Chief Military adviser to the Defense Minister of India. Thus Gen Rawat became the first to occupy the post of CDS that made him the
country’s foremost military officer.
For long time, there was a demand to create the post of CDS, thus the position of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was created with the aim to improve the
coordination between Army, Airforce and Navy, for tri-service effectiveness and overall integration of the combat capabilities of the Indian armed forces,
under a four-star general, a tri-service chief, who shall lead the defence forces.
As India's first CDS, he was tasked with bringing in theater command and jointness among the three services and General Bipin Rawat was pushing these with a tough
approach and specific timelines in the last two years.
The position of CDS was first officially suggested in 1999 by the Kargil Review Committee, which was set up after the end of kargil war under
K.Subrahmanyam (as the chairperson), a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and head of the National Security Council Advisory Board (NSCAB),
widely considered an influential voice in Indian security affairs. Present Foreign Minister of India S Jaishankar is the son of late K. Subrahmanyam.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had officially announced the government's intention to create the position of Chief of Defence staff (CDS) during his
Independence Day speech on 15 August 2019 at the Red Fort, following this, on 24 December 2019, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) formally announced the
creation of the position; a four-star general, a tri-service chief.
General Bipin Rawat was appointed as the first Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) of the Indian Armed forces which he served from January 2020 till his tragic death
on 8th December 2021 in Helicopter crash.
He had initiated restructuring of Military Commands for optimal utilisation of resources by bringing about jointness in operations,
including through establishment of joint/theater commands
AWARDS AND HONOURS.
Rawat was a highly decorated officer of Indian Army and four star general, for his meritorious service, he was decorated with several gallantry and distinguished
service awards like Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, Yudh Seva Medal, and Sena Medal, the
COAS Commendation on two occasions and the Army Commander’s Commendation, after passing out from NDA, he went to Indian Military Academy (IMA) Dehradun,
where he was graduated first in the order of Merit and was awarded the prestigious "Sword of Honour".
When Gen Rawat visited the United States in 2019, he was inducted to the United States Army Command and General Staff College International Hall of Fame,
another important honour conferred on the General Rawat was the honorary General of Nepalese Army for his outstanding military achievement in the service of his country's
armed forces
FORCE COMMANDER'S COMMENDATION(UN PEACEKEEPING).
As a UN peacekeeper, he had commanded a Multinational Brigade in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) in the UNO's peace keeping force in 2008-2009,
where he served with great distinction and his work was fully appreciated, Where he was twice awarded the Force Commander’s Commendation.
REFORMS IN THE ARMED FORCES.
(WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION WITHIN ARMY).
Gen Rawat was a man who was 100 percent transparent, fully committed to his responsibility of working in the best interest of the country,
but he will be most remembered for initiating a war against corruption within the military establishment;he will often say that Indian armed forces were all about
respect not money.
In this direction, he brought several changes in the functioning of Army, which earlier Army Chiefs (COAS) had not even thought of it,
though these decisions were much against the wishes of several retired senior armed forces officers, by putting a cap on buying a car only upto Rs 12 lakhs,
as many retired officers, were buying Mercedes and other high end SUV's cars, which was causing great loss to national exchequer by way loss of excise duties etc,
he even removed the sell of top-brand malt whiskies through the army canteen route, as he was of the firm opinion that a normal officer or jawan can't afford these
luxury items with the existing salaries, which was causing great loss to national exchequer by way of excise duties etc.
Gen Rawat wanted accommodation for the armed forces personnels be developed in the most transparent manner with a durable construction.
For army personnel, he took another landmark step which won him the praise was, he ensured that sub-standard products did not find their way into the military
canteen through the grease route which had led to the sale of only quality genuine products at the army canteens.
STOPPED MISUSE OF DISABILITY PENSION.
Another important and most crucial decision he took few months before his tenure as Army chief was ending, he ensured that no officer or men misuse the disability pension,
Gen Rawat was a great man and he made sure that those with genuine physical disability gets their dues, as it was seen several senior officers were deliberately getting
their medical category lowered before their retirement to claim disability benefits and other tax free benefits like Tax free pension,
which were causing not only big loss to state exchequer by way of loss of taxes also a big discontentment over disparity among other persons.
General Rawat was fully sympathetic towards genuine cases of disability of those army personnels who suffered injuries on their line of duty in war or during the insurgery
operations and he made sure that these people get their full tax relief on disability allowances.
However General Rawat himself didn't claim disability allowance or accompanied benefits, even when he suffered injury during the operation on the
Line of Control (LOC) in Kashmir and a rod was fixed inside his ankle, however he used to wear wound medal on his chest.
Tributes.
Politicians cutting across the party lines, Bureaucrats, religious leaders, envoys, security personnels and several eminent personalities from various walks of life
mourned the death of India's first Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and others 13 people who lost their lives in an air
accident in mountains of Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu.
The President Ramnath Kovind said it is deeply painful to learn the loss of lives in the tragic helicopter crash, with Gen Rawat's death the nation has lost one of
its bravest sons and that his four decades of selfless service to the motherland was marked by exceptional gallantry and heroism.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on the demise of India's first Chief of Defence Staff General Rawat, other defense personnels who lost their lives in the recent
helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu, is a "great loss for every patriot, he was brave and worked hard to make the country's armed forces self-reliant,
and the whole nation has been a witness to that.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh wote on the twitter, “He is deeply anguished by the sudden demise of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat,
his wife and 11 other Armed Forces personnel in an extremely unfortunate helicopter accident in Tamil Nadu.
Gen Rawat's untimely death is an irreparable loss to our Armed Forces and the country,”
Home minister Amit Shah said CDS Gen Rawat was "one of the bravest soldiers" and his exemplary contributions "cannot be put into words", I am deeply pained.
General Rawat enjoyed such a stellar reputation in the country, immediately upon hearing about his Helicopter crash,
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin rushed to the Wellington in the Nilgiris to pay homage to the victims; even when bodies were transported to Sulur in Karnataka,
vast crowds lined the route to pay homage.
Even the leaders of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, who were discussing a proposal by the Union government on the resolution of the farm protests,
first took time to condole the crash of the passing of Rawat and other military personnels and then got down to business.
"NATION PAYS FITTING FAREWELL TO GENERAL RAWAT".
There was a big outpouring of grief on the departure of this prodigious son of India, the way nation reacted to the tragic death of
Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat is testament to not only the revered position that the Armed forces continue to occupy in the hearts of countrymen,
but also to the stature and presence of General Rawat, and finally, as the funeral cortège was on its way through the streets of Delhi,
people came out in large numbers to pay their last respects to General Rawat.
Unprecedented solidarity was seen during his funeral procession, lakhs of people had lined up on both sides of roads to pay respect and bid final farewell to the
legendary soldier of India.
In India such reactions by the public are seen only during the death of a famous politician or famous matinee idols,
as was seen during the last journey of General Bipin Rawat,a huge emotional crowd behind the cavalcade carrying the national flag, chanted
“Jab Tak Suraj Chaand Rahega, Bipin ji Ka Naam Rahegaa" as they marched alongside the cortege.
Such was the persona of CDS General Bipin Rawat Rawat that his last rites were attended by Senior Military Officers from Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh,
and from many military attaches from foreign embassies based in Delhi.
Infact on news of the death of General Rawat and others, a spontaneous universal grief was felt which spanned across the geographies and constituencies of the nation.
As General Rawat passes into the history, government should expediate and choose the next Chief of defense staff (CDS), as General Rawat had laid a strong
foundation for the strong defense policy, it is for the incumbent who should continue the unfinished agenda left behind by late Gen Rawat with the full force,
Hence the process of modernisation of Indian Armed forces and other important reforms initiated by him should continue.
Gen Rawat wanted Indian armed forces to have a strong unified tri-services operational capability, hence it is time for India to undertake an exhaustive long term strategic
defense policy seeing the twin threat from across the border, looking into China and Pakistan angle and both these adversaries both are nuclear states.
The government must also carry forward the task of enhancing the security of the country's borders and strengthening border infrastructure like completing border roads
so that troops can reach fast in case of any eventuality.
He also initiated several restructuring of Military Commands for optimal utilization of combined resources by bringing about jointness in operations,
through establishment of joint theater commands.
Hence the Government must find a suitable successor to carry forward his work, someone with the same zeal that the first CDS General Bipin Rawat had
exhibited in his lifetime.
General Bipin Rawat leaves behind an enduring legacy of his legendary work, his commitment towards the motherland will forever remain in our memories
who endeavored to prepare our armed forces for the wars and conflicts of the 21st century,
Nation will forever remember him for his inspiring leadership and vision who became a legend in his lifetime owing to the sterling leadership he provided to our Armed forces,
He will remain a role model for the nation's youth and for armed forces.
RIP Gen Rawat.
- Ramesh G Jethwani Bangalore.
Ramesh G jethwani is a Veteran writer, Voracious reader, Historian and commentator who has been writing in 21 newspapers in India and
GCC countries for several decades on various subjects of importance.
His website.www: rameshjethwani.com.
