AS LONG AS INDIAN DEFENCE WILL PROSPER, CDS GENERAL BIPIN RAWAT TOO WILL LIVE, FOR NOW AS HE IS THE PART OF EVERY LIVING COUNTRYMAN AS WE ALL REMEMBER HIM…
General Bipin Laxman Singh Rawat, the first Chief Of Defence Staff of India, was one of the crucial elements of Indian Defence Architecture. Unfortunately, in a chopper crash that took place in Tamil Nadu’s Coonoor on the 8th of December 2021 lost his life along with his wife Madhulika Rawat, leaving all his countrymen in a deep shock.
In his about two years of his term as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat gave his best for the most significant transformation of the defense architecture of India. Losing such a precious gem is not at all easy for the country as it is very hard to bear this irreparable loss of every single person in the country.
General Bipin Rawat began his career as an officer in the Gorkhas and gradually he rose to command 5/11 Gorkha Rifles that was a legacy passed on to him by his father, Late General LS Rawat, as he also used to command that battalion. His journey from an officer in Gorkhas to becoming the Chief of Defence Staff is a matter of great inspiration for every one of us. And now, when he is not with us, his deeds, his achievements, his journey, his success, his speeches, and so on will always keep him alive in our hearts and memories.
So, in order to commemorate the loss of this gem of India, we have tried to summarise his whole life in this blog.
CDS GENERAL BIPIN RAWAT- BIRTH, FAMILY, AND KIDS
General Bipin Rawat was born in the state of Uttarakhand to a father, Laxman Singh Rawat, who was already serving the Indian army on lieutenant general, and to a mother who was the daughter of an ex MLA from the same state’s Uttarkashi. He was married to Madhulika Rawat, who also died in the same crash as Rawat. However, both of them are survived by their two daughters, Kritika and Tarini Rawat.
CDS GENERAL BIPIN RAWAT- EDUCATION
General Bipin Rawat took his formal education at Cambrian Hall School in Dehradun, and St. Edward School in Shimla, and later he joined National Defence Academy in Khadakwasla and then Indian Military Academy in Dehradun. He was honored with the Sword Honorary in the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.
He did his graduation from Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington, and pursued the Senor Command Course of the United States Army Staff and Command College, Fort Leavenworth, Kandsas. General Bipin Rawat got his M.Phil. Degree in Defense science and achieved a diploma in Administration and Computer Science from Madras University.
He didn’t stop here; he received his Ph.D. in Philosophy from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, to continue his research on the strategic studies of military resources. Indeed, he was a great intellectual!
Also Read, The Flying Sikh reached the finish line in the Race of his Life
BEGINNING OF GENERAL BIPIN RAWAT’S MILITARY CAREER
It was on 16TH December 1978. General Rawat was assigned to the 5th Battalion of the 11 Gorkha Rifles, the same unit in which his father was. There, he spent 10 years of his life in counterinsurgency operations and served in several majors to current CDSs. In the post of major, General Rawat commanded a company in Uri, Jammu, and Kashmir. Also, he was the one to command his battalion along the Line of Actual Control at Kibithu as a colonel.
Then he was promoted to the rank of brigadier and commanded sector 5 of the Rashtriya Rifles in Sopore and the multinational brigade during the mission of Chapter VII of Congo. And it was here when he was awarded twice the mention commendation of the force commander.
After assuming the role of Commanding general of the 19th Infantry Division in Uri, he got promoted to the rank of major general. Then, as a lieutenant general, he commanded the III Corps, based in Dimapur, just before he took the command of the Southern Army in Pune.
Once he was promoted to the rank of Army Commander, he achieved the post of Commander General (GOCinC) of Southern Command. And after that, he got the promotion as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army. Then on December 17, 2016, he was appointed as the Chief of Staff of the Army by the Government of India and was also the 57th and final Chairman of the Heads of State Committee. And then finally, on December 30, 2021, he was appointed as the first Chief of Defence Staff.
HIGHLIGHTS OF GENERAL BIPIN RAWAT’S CAREER
The journey from an officer in a battalion to the Chief of Defense Staff was indeed incredible. But what made him the star was some of the moments and these moments include;
Reduction of Militancy in the northeast- CDS General Bipin Rawat played a prominent role in the reduction of militancy in the northeast in the year 2015. He was one of the leading members in the cross-border operation in Myanmar. In this operation, the Indian military successfully handled the ambush by NSCNK militants and that mission was performed under the supervision of General Rawat only.
Successful Surgical Attacks- General Bipin was also part of the planning for the 2016 surgical strike in which the Indian army crossed the line of control and entered Pakistan to kill the terrorists. General Bipin Rawat was monitoring all the developments at that time.
General Rawat had played a major role in the army’s formation. He was the key element in restructuring the military in order to reduce administrative interference, increase the combat potential, and reduce duplicity. He played a crucial role in the army’s modernization and also played a role in arming the new assault rifles bought in the United States.
AWARDS GIVEN TO GENERAL BIPIN RAWAT
How can we end up summarising his life without mentioning the awards he received in his lifetime? His career spanned more than 40 years and in these 40 years, General Bipin Rawat received so many medals and honors. He even received 30 years’ long Service Medal, 20 years’ long service medal, and 9 years’ long service medal along with several others.
Unfortunately, he and his wife were traveling in IAF Mi 175 V5, on December 8th that met an accident and he lost his life along with his wife Madhulika and 12 other members that were on board. It is really disheartening for every Indian, as this huge loss is irreparable, and it will be hard to fill this void created by Sir General Bipin Rawat. But we will always remember him because of his contributions and deeds.
