IAS Chopper crash: 11 personnel accompanying CDS Gen Bipin Rawat who lost their lives

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India's first Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika, Brig LS Lidder and 10 more defence personnel killed after their chopper crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. The lone survivor, Group Captain Varun Singh, is currently undergoing treatment at a military hospital in Bengaluru. 

On Thursday, PM Narendra Modi and the country's top military brass paid homage to CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika, Brig LS Lidder and 10 more defence personnel at the Palam air base after their bodies were brought to Delhi in a military aircraft. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, Army Chief MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, Air Chief Marshal AVR Chaudhari and Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar were among those who paid homage to the deceased at a sombre ceremony.

The cremation of Gen Bipin Rawat and his wife will be done on Friday in Delhi Cantonment.

Here are the profiles of the 11 persons, other than Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat, who were killed in the helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.

Brigadier L S Lidder: He was commissioned to the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (JAKRIF) in December 1990. Brigadier Lidder commanded a battalion of the JAKRIF in Congo as UN peacekeeping force. He also commanded a brigade on India's northern borders. He served as director at the Military Operations Directorate. Brigadier Lidder was defence assistant to the CDS since January 2021. Approved for the Major General rank, he was due to take over a division. He is survived by his wife Geetika Lidder and daughter Aashna Lidder. He was born on June 26, 1969.

Lt Col Harjinder Singh: Born on April 17, 1978, he was commissioned into the Indian Army in September 2001. Part of the Gorkha Rifles regiment, he served at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the country's north-east as well as at the Line of Control (LOC) in Jammu and Kashmir. Lt Col Singh served in the Sikkim Scouts as well as a Staff Officer at the Corps Headquarters. He also served as instructor at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun. He is survived by his spouse Major (Retired) Agnes P Manezes and daughter Preet Kaur.

Havildar Satpal Rai: Rai was part of the Gorkha Rifles regiment. He enrolled in the Indian Army in March 2002. He served in Siachen, Naushera, Nagaland as well as Manipur. His son is serving in the same unit as his father since the last one year.

Naik Gurusevak Singh: He was part of the Para Special Forces. He had enrolled in the Indian Army in March 2004. Naik Singh has served in Ladakh as well as in Jammu and Kashmir. He was a demolition specialist. and also an expert in unarmed combat and close quarter battle.

Lance Naik Vivek Kumar: He was a part of the Para Special Forces. He enrolled in the Indian Army in December 2012. He served in Jammu and Kashmir as well as on the China border. Lance Naik Kumar was a specialist in combat free fall, a communication expert and he was excellent in unarmed combat.

Lance Naik Jitender Kumar: The Lance Naik was part of the Para Special Forces. He enrolled in the Indian Army in March 2011. He served in the desert areas along the Indo-Pak border. He also served along the LAC near Pithoragarh and Jammu and Kashmir. He was an expert sniper and specialist in communications warfare.

Lance Naik B Sai Teja: Teja was part of Para Special Forces. He had enrolled in the Indian Army in June 2013. He served in super-high altitude in Arunachal Pradesh along the LAC. Lance Naik Teja was also involved in counter terrorist operations in Manipur and Nagaland. He was an expert in mixed martial arts, unarmed combat, communications and electronic warfare.

Wing Commander P S Chauhan: He was commissioned in the Indian Air Force (IAF) in June 2002 as a helicopter pilot and he belonged to Agra.

Squadron Leader Kuldeep: Kuldeep was commissioned in the IAF in June 2015 as a helicopter pilot and belonged to Ghardana Khurd, Rajasthan.

Junior Warrant Officer R P Das: Das enrolled in the IAF in June 2006 and was a flight engineer. He belonged to Angul, Odisha.

Junior Warrant Officer A Pradeep: Pradeep enrolled in the IAF in January 2004 and was a flight gunner. He belongs to Thrissur, Kerala.

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