CDS Rawat can’t be replaced
CDS Bipin Rawat was an officer who never wasted his time and always planned to upgrade his planning. He started his career journey from being an officer in the Gorkhas and moving ahead to command 5/11 Gorkha Rifles, the same battalion his father Lt Gen L S Rawat also commanded.
With two years remaining into the term as India’s first Chief of Defense Staff Bipin Rawat and leading over the transformation of the defense map of the country. From being an officer at Gorkha Rifles to a commander at 5/11 of Gorkha Rifles, a team where his father also used to command.
He moved ahead as a Brigadier in the Defense planning staff and was the one from Gorkha’s to brief the Prime Minister about the Gorkhaland movement in the year 1988. CDS Bipin Rawat also served in the Military Operations Directorate.
After his command in Army, he was appointed as the Vice Chief of Army Staff to Gen Dalbir Singh, Army Chief and for the first time, both the top army officers appointed were Gorkha Officers.
Bipin Rawat had two Lt Gen above him for the post of Chief, but the government the seniority and opted for the merit of Bipin Rawat as every time he did something unthinkable and different and for that reason, he was appointed as the Chief of Army Staff after the retirement of General Dalbir Singh.
In the term of three years, he made his marks by making several reforms and approach towards the operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
In 2019, during the Independence speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the appointment of CDS.
In his entire journey, he was not an ordinary thinker, his expertise on India’s biggest reform grew and he became a very powerful pivot in the national security and defense and was one of the people whom Defense Minister Rajnath Singh trusted completely.
To the Defense Minister, Bipin Rawat was the single point of advice, and also to the Defense Policy Group, Department of Military Affairs, he was also called the support arm of the Indian Air Force. CDS Bipin Rawat was always a very professional, gentleman and a proud Gorkha.
On December 8, Gen Bipin Rawat and his wife and 11 others died in a helicopter crash near the Coonoor region, only one person was able to survive the crash and he was taken to the hospital.
He is the Directing Staff at DSSC, Group Captain Varun Singh, and is undergoing treatment at the Military Hospital as per Indian Air Force. The nation is mourning such a big loss for the country. The staff was flying from Delhi to Sulur in a Mi- 17 V5 helicopters made in Russia.
The nation has lost its finest soldier and he was the most senior general and first Chief of Defense. In the crash, CDS Bipin Rawat, Bipin Rawat’s wife, two pilots from Indian Air Force, Rawat’s staff, and five soldiers were killed.
The only survivor of the crash Captain Varun Singh is in critical condition at the Military Hospital in Wellington.
One year ago, when he was flying a system failure resulted in a complete loss of control, he managed to land the aircraft by going beyond the call of duty, and for this act of exceptional gallantry, he was awarded Shaurya Chakra on the occasion of Independence day.
After the crash and demise of CDS Bipin Rawat, as per the structure for the military, the second in command of the lead officer becomes the lead but for now, as per the sources, there is no line of succession for the CDS.
CDS Bipin Rawat had another one year left in his tenure, also he served as the Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA). Among the 13 killed in the Indian Air Force chopper crash, A Pradeep, Joint Warrant Officer also lost his life, he belonged to Kerala and was back from home just four days ago after celebrating his son’s birthday.
He joined Indian Air Force in the year 2002. He also served during the rescue operations during the flood in the year 2018.
Life is unpredictable everyone knows but the loss of brave soldiers, who devote their life for the nation’s safety is very sad and the loss of CDS Bipin Rawat is a very huge loss for the country, and his boots are very hard to fill as this was an extraordinary thinker, he built the map of defense and always tried to upgrade the current structure.
He also played a very important role in many of the operations in Jammu and Kashmir. The nation mourns for the loss, and their names can never be forgotten in history. The officers who were serving with General Rawat still could not believe the news of his demise.
editde and proofread by nikita sharma
