Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat was on board an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter when it crashed in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor on Wednesday. General Rawat was accompanied by his wife Dr Madhulika Rawat and several other defence personnel on the chopper. He was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to the injuries. His wife also passed away in the hospital.
Who was General Bipin Rawat and Madhulika Rawat
General Bipin Rawat was the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of India. He was appointed the same on 1 January 2020. Born in Pauri, Uttrakhand, Rawat's family has been serving in the Indian Army for four generations. His wife Dr Madhulika Rawat had been a constant support in his service to the nation. She was the president of AWWA (Army Wives Welfare Association).
Mrs Madhulika Rawat worked for the welfare of wives, children and dependents of Army personnel. She completed her graduation in psychology from Delhi University and was a part of many social campaigns and programmes including those working for Army widows, cancer patients, differently-abled children and others.
General Bipin Rawat's Family and Kids
General Bipin Rawat and Madhulika Rawat are survived by two daughters named Kritika Rawat and Tarini Rawat.
Bipin Rawat's father Laxman Singh Rawat served the Indian Army and rose to the rank of Lieutenant-General. On the other hand, his mother was the daughter of Kishan Singh Parmar, the ex-Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Uttarkashi.
Meanwhile, the helicopter taking General Bipin Rawat and his wife to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, had crashed in thickly forested hilly terrains of the Nilgiri Hills. Others who were in the chopper were Brigadier L.S. Lidder, Lieutenant Colonel Harjinder Singh, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitender Kumar, Naik Vivek Kumar, Naik B. Sai Teja, Havaldar Satpal and pilots.