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Bipin Rawat | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2020 | |
| 1stChief of Defence Staff | |
| In office 1 January 2020 (2020-01-01) – 8 December 2021 (2021-12-08) | |
| President | Ram Nath Kovind |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Anil Chauhan (2022) |
| 57thChairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee | |
| In office 27 September 2019 (2019-09-27) – 8 December 2021 (2021-12-08) (27 September 2019–31 December 2019 asCOAS) (1 January 2020 – 8 December 2021 asCDS) | |
| President | Ram Nath Kovind |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Preceded by | Birender Singh Dhanoa |
| Succeeded by | Manoj Mukund Naravane(acting) Anil Chauhan |
| 27thChief of the Army Staff | |
| In office 31 December 2016 (2016-12-31) – 31 December 2019 (2019-12-31) | |
| President | |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Preceded by | Dalbir Singh Suhag |
| Succeeded by | Manoj Mukund Naravane[1] |
| 37thVice Chief of the Army Staff | |
| In office 1 September 2016 (2016-09-01) – 31 December 2016 (2016-12-31) | |
| President | Pranab Mukherjee |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Minister of Defence | Manohar Parrikar |
| Preceded by | Man Mohan Singh Rai |
| Succeeded by | Sarath Chand |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1958-03-16)16 March 1958 Saina,Pauri Garhwal district,Uttar Pradesh,India (now inUttarakhand, India)[2] |
| Died | 8 December 2021(2021-12-08) (aged 63) Bandishola,Nilgiris district,Tamil Nadu, India |
| Cause of death | Helicopter crash |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent | Lt. Gen.Lakshman Singh Rawat (father) |
| Alma mater | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  India |
| Branch/service |  Indian Army |
| Years of service | 16 December 1978 – 8 December 2021 |
| Rank |  General |
| Unit | .svg) 5/11 Gorkha Rifles |
| Commands | |
| Service number | IC-35471M[3] |
| Awards | |
Bipin Rawat (16 March 1958 – 8 December 2021) was an Indian military officer who was afour-stargeneral of theIndian Army.[4] He served as the firstChief of Defence Staff (CDS) of theIndian Armed Forces from January 2020 until his death ina helicopter crash in December 2021. Prior to taking over as the CDS, he served as the 57thChairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (Chairman COSC) of theIndian Armed Forces as well as 27thChief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army.[5][6]
Born in Pauri, Pauri Garhwal district in present-day Uttarakhand to Lieutenant GeneralLakshman Singh Rawat, he graduated from theNational Defence Academy and theIndian Military Academy where he was awarded the Sword of Honour. He was commissioned into his father's unit -11 Gorkha Rifles. He served during the1987 Sino-Indian skirmish in theSumdorong Chu valley. He commanded a company inUri and his battalion - 5/11 GR along theLine of Actual Control inArunachal Pradesh. Promoted to the rank ofBrigadier, he commanded 5 sectorRashtriya Rifles inSopore. He subsequently served with theUnited Nations as the Commander of a Multinational Brigade as part ofMONUSCO.
Promoted togeneral officer, Rawat commanded the19 Infantry Division atUri. He then served as theMajor General General Staff (MGGS) at HeadquartersEastern Command. In 2014, he was promoted to the rank ofLieutenant General and appointedGeneral officer commanding (GOC)III Corps atDimapur. During this tenure, the2015 Indian counter-insurgency operation in Myanmar took place where units under his command executed cross-border strikes against theNSCN-K. In early 2016, Rawat was promoted to Army Commander grade and appointedGeneral Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Command. After a short stint, he moved to Army HQ as theVice Chief of the Army Staff. In December that year, he was appointed the nextChief of the Army Staff superseding two senior generals. As the senior-most chief of staff amongst the three services, he served as theChairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee of theIndian Armed Forces from September 2019 to December 2021. He was appointed as the firstChief of Defence Staff (CDS) of theIndian Armed Forces in January 2020 and served until his death in December 2021.[7][8][9]
During Rawat's tenure as the COAS, in 2017, a73-day military border standoff happened atDoklam between the Indian Armed Forces and thePeople's Liberation Army.
Bipin Rawat was born inPauri town ofPauri Garhwal district, present-dayUttarakhand state, on 16 March 1958[10] to aHinduGarhwaliRajput family.[11] His family had been serving in the Indian Army for multiple generations. His fatherLakshman Singh Rawat (1930–2015) was from Sainj village of the Pauri Garhwal district; commissioned into3/11 Gorkha Rifles in 1951, he retired asDeputy Chief of the Army Staff in 1988 in the rank ofLieutenant General.[12][13][14] His mother was from theUttarkashi district and was the daughter of Kishan Singh Parmar, the ex-Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) fromUttarkashi.[15]
Rawat was educated atCambrian Hall school inDehradun and at theSt. Edward's School, Shimla.[16] He then joined theNational Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and theIndian Military Academy,Dehradun, from where he graduated first in the order of merit and was awarded the 'Sword of Honour'.[17]
Rawat was also a graduate of theDefence Services Staff College (DSSC),Wellington and the Higher Command Course at theUnited States Army Command and General Staff College (USACGSC) atFort Leavenworth,Kansas in 1997.[18][19][20] From his tenure at the DSSC, he obtained anMPhil degree in Defence Studies as well as diplomas in Management and Computer Studies from theUniversity of Madras. In 2011, he was awarded an honorarydoctorate byChaudhary Charan Singh University,Meerut for his research on military-media strategic studies.[21][22]
Rawat was commissioned into the 5th battalion, the11 Gorkha Rifles (5/11 GR) on 16 December 1978, the same unit as his father.[23][24] During the1987 Sino-Indian skirmish in theSumdorong Chu valley, then Captain Rawat's battalion was deployed against the ChinesePeople's Liberation Army.[25] The standoff was the first military confrontation along the disputedMcMahon Line after the1962 war.[26]
Early in his career, Rawat had an instructional tenure at theIndian Military Academy,Dehradun. He had much experience in high-altitude warfare and spent ten years conductingcounter-insurgency operations.[20] He commanded acompany inUri,Jammu and Kashmir as a Major. He attended theDefence Services Staff College,Wellington. After the course, he was appointed General Staff Officer, Grade 2 (GSO2) at the Military Operations Directorate at Army headquarters. He also served as a logistics staff officer of a Re-organised Army Plains Infantry Division (RAPID) in Central India. He attended the Higher Command Course at theUnited States Army Command and General Staff College (USACGSC) atFort Leavenworth,Kansas.
As acolonel, Rawat commanded his battalion, the 5thbattalion, the11 Gorkha Rifles, in the eastern sector along theLine of Actual Control atKibithu. For his command of 5/11 GR, he was awarded theVishisht Seva Medal on 26 January 2001.[27] He also served as Colonel Military Secretary (Col MS) and Deputy Military Secretary in the Military Secretary's Branch and as a Senior Instructor in the Junior Command Wing.[28][29]
On 26 January 2005, he was awarded theSena Medal for devotion to duty.[30] Promoted to the rank ofBrigadier, he commanded 5 SectorRashtriya Rifles inSopore. He was awarded theYudh Seva Medal for his command of 5 Sector RR.[31]
Rawat commandedMONUSCO (a Multinational Brigade in a Chapter VII mission in theDemocratic Republic of the Congo). Within two weeks of deployment in the DRC, the Brigade faced a major offensive in the east which threatened the regional capital ofNorth Kivu,Goma. The offensive also threatened to destabilise the country as a whole. The situation demanded a rapid response and North Kivu Brigade was reinforced, where it was responsible for over 7,000 men and women, representing nearly half of the total MONUSCO force. Whilst simultaneously engaged in offensive kinetic operations against the CNDP and other armed groups, Rawat (thenBrigadier) carried out tactical support to the Congolese Army (FARDC), He sensitised programmes with the local population and detailed coordination to ensure that all were informed about the situation and worked together in the progress of operations. He was responsible for the protection of the vulnerable population.
This operational period lasted for four months. Goma never fell, the East stabilized and the main armed group was motivated to the negotiating table and has since been integrated into the FARDC. He was also tasked to present the Revised Charter of Peace Enforcement to the Special Representatives of the Secretary-General and Force Commanders of all the UN missions in a special conference atWilton Park, London, on 16 May 2009.[18][19][32] Rawat was twice awarded the Force Commander's Commendation.[28][29]
After promotion toMajor General, Rawat took over as theGeneral Officer Commanding19th Infantry Division (Uri). For his command of the Dagger Division, as the 19th Infantry Division is called, he was awarded theAti Vishisht Seva Medal on 26 January 2013.[33] He subsequently served as the Major General General Staff (MGGS) of theEastern Command.
Promoted to the rank ofLieutenant General, he was appointed General Officer CommandingIII Corps, headquartered inDimapur. In June 2015, eighteen Indian soldiers were killed in anambush by militants belonging to theUnited Liberation Front of Western South East Asia (UNLFW) inManipur. TheIndian Army responded withcross-border strikes in which units of the 21st battalion of theParachute Regiment struck an NSCN-K base inMyanmar.21 Para was under the operational control of theDimapur basedIII Corps, which was then commanded by Rawat.[20][34] For his command of III Corps, he was awarded theUttam Yudh Seva Medal on 26 January 2016.[35]
After relinquishing command ofIII Corps, Rawat was appointed General Officer Commanding Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa Area, headquartered in Mumbai.[36]After a short stint, he was promoted to the Army Commander grade and assumed the post ofGeneral Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C)Southern Command on 1 January 2016.[28][29] After an eight-month tenure, he assumed the post ofVice Chief of the Army Staff on 1 September 2016.[37][38]
On 17 December 2016, the Government of India appointed Rawat as the 27thChief of the Army Staff, superseding two more seniorLieutenant Generals,Praveen Bakshi (Eastern Army Commander) andP. M. Hariz (Southern Army Commander).[39] The appointment made byNDA ruled Government was politically controversial.[40] Rawat was accused ofnepotism and gratuitously politicising the appointment, by the senior serving and retired military officers.[41]
He took office of Chief of the Army Staff as the 27th COAS on 31 December 2016, after retirement of GeneralDalbir Singh Suhag.[42][43] He was the third officer from theGorkha Brigade to become theChief of the Army Staff, afterSam Manekshaw and Suhag.
In 2018, Rawat defended the army Major involved in theKashmir human shield incident, where a Kashmiri man was tied to a jeep as ahuman shield.[44] The officer was awarded a Chief of the Army Staff Commendation Card by Rawat for counter-insurgency operations.[45][46]
Rawat had been criticized by the opposition party leaders for making political statements during theCitizenship Amendment Act protests.[44]
On his visit to the United States in 2019, General Rawat was inducted to theUnited States Army Command and General Staff College International Hall of Fame.[47] He was also an honorary General ofNepalese Army in accordance with the tradition between the Indian and Nepali armies to confer the honorary rank of General upon each other's chiefs to signify their close and special military ties.[48]
Rawat served as the 57thChairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.[5]
In 2017, atDoklam a73-day military border standoff happened between the Indian Armed Forces and thePeople's Liberation Army of China over Chinese construction of a road in Doklam near a trijunction border area betweenBhutan,China andIndia.[49][50] After the standoff ended Rawat said China had begun 'flexing its muscles' and was trying to 'nibble away' territory held by India in a gradual manner to test the limits of thresholds. He stated, India had to be "wary about" China, "and remain prepared for situations that could develop into conflicts".[41]
Rawat said that India did not "see any scope for reconciliation with Pakistan as its military, polity and people have decided that India wants to break their country into pieces". Rawat suspected Pakistan could "swing into action to take advantage of India's preoccupation with China". Rawat thus highlighted a two-front war situation without offering a solution or remedy.[41]
Until 2019, Rawat had given statements warning India to be prepared for a simultaneous war on two fronts against China and Pakistan. In September 2017, during a seminar in Delhi, Rawat said that "warfare lies within the realm of reality" along India borders with China and Pakistan, even though all the three countries have nuclear arms. According to critics, Rawat neither prepared for such an outcome nor initiated measures to thwart it.[41]
| Country | Date | Purpose | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | |||
 Nepal | 28–31 March | [51] [52] | |
 Bangladesh | 31 March – 2 April |
| [52] [53] |
 Bhutan | 27–30 April |
| [54] |
 Myanmar | 28–31 May |
| [55] |
 Kazakhstan | 1–3 August |
| [56] |
 Turkmenistan | 4–5 August |
| [56] |
| 2018 | |||
| Nepal | 12–14 February |
| [57] [58] |
 Sri Lanka | 14–17 May |
| [59] [60] |
 Russia | 1–6 October |
| [61] |
 Vietnam | 22–25 November |
| [62] |
 Tanzania Kenya | 17–20 December |
| [63] |
| 2019 | |||
 United States | 2–5 April | [64] | |
 | 30 September – 3 October 2019 |
| [65] |
He served as the firstChief of Defence Staff (CDS) of theIndian Armed Forces from January 2020 until his death in December 2021.[7][8][9]
India as of 2021 had service–specific commands system.[66]joint and integrated commands, also known asunified commands; and further divided intotheatre or functional commands, have been set up and more are proposed.[67] In February 2020, Rawat said two to fivetheatre commands may be set up.[68] The completion of the creation of theatre commands, both integrated and joint commands, will take a number of years.[69]Indian Air Force opposed the formation of unified theatre commands citing limitation of resources.[70]
Rawat put emphasis on the 'supremacy and primacy' of the Indian Army over the Air force and Navy, in fighting wars. Rawat had stated, "Wars will be fought on land, and therefore the primacy of the army must be maintained over the air force and navy. The statement had antagonised the Air Force and Navy.[41]
In early 2021, Rawat called the Indian Air Force a "supporting arm" of India's defence network and infrastructure.Air Chief MarshalR. K. S. Bhadauria made a public statement in response that the IAF served a bigger role than a supporting arm.[44]
On 15 September 2021 while speaking at an event in the capacity of the CDS at theIndia International Centre in New Delhi, General Rawat touched upon the theory ofclash of civilisations with regards to the western civilisation and China's growing relations with countries like Iran and Turkey.[71] The next day, on 16 September 2021, India's Minister of External AffairsS. Jaishankar conveyed to his Chinese counterpart that India does not subscribe to any clash of civilisations theory.[72]
In 1985, Rawat married Madhulika Rawat (née Raje Singh). A descendant of an erstwhile princely family, she was the daughter ofKunwar Mrigendra Singh, sometimeRiyasatdar of thepargana ofSohagpur (Shahdol) Riyasat inShahdol district and anIndian National Congress MLA from the district in 1967 and 1972.[73] She was educated atScindia Kanya Vidyalaya in Gwalior and graduated in psychology atUniversity of Delhi.[74] The couple had two daughters, Kritika and Tarini.[75]
Madhulika Rawat was the president of theArmy Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) during Bipin Rawat's tenure as Chief of the Army Staff. She became the president of theDefence Wives Welfare Association (DWWA), upon the creation of the post and the appointment of General Bipin Rawat as the first CDS. She worked to make the wives of defence personnel financially independent.[76] She was also involved with NGOs and welfare associations such as Veer Naris that assists widows of military personnel, differently-abled children and cancer patients.[77]
On 8 December 2021, Rawat, his wife and members of his staff were amongst 10 passengers and 4 crew members aboard anIndian Air ForceMil Mi-17 helicopter flight en route from theSulur Air Force Base to theDefence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington, where Rawat was to deliver a lecture.[78] At around 12:10 p.m. local time, the aircraft crashed near a residential colony of private tea estate employees on the outskirts of the hamlet of Nanjappachatiram,Bandishola panchayat, in the Katteri-Nanchappanchathram area ofCoonoor taluk,Nilgiris district.[79][80][81] The crash site was 10 kilometres (6.2 mi; 5.4 nmi) from the flight's intended destination.[82] Rawat's death – and those of his wife and 11 others – was later confirmed by theIndian Air Force. Rawat's liaison officer,Group Captain Varun Singh initially survived the incident, but later succumbed to injuries on 15 December.[83] Rawat was 63 at the time of his death.[84]
Rawat and his wife were cremated according to Hindu rituals with full military honours and17 gun salute atBrar Square Crematorium inDelhi Cantonment on 10 December 2021.[85] Their cremation was carried out by their daughters, who took their ashes toHaridwar and immersed them in theGanges at theHar Ki Paurighat on 12 December.[86]
Among the foreign military commanders who attended the state funeral were:[87]
| Country | Dignitaries |
|---|---|
| Bhutan | Brig Dorji Rinchen (Deputy Chief Operations Officer)Royal Bhutan Army |
| Bangladesh | Lt GenWaker-UZ-Zaman (Principal Staff Officer)Armed Forces Division |
 Nepal | Suprobal Janasewashree |
| Sri Lanka | GenShavendra Silva (Chief of Defence Staff andCommander of the Sri Lanka Army) AdmiralRavindra Chandrasiri Wijegunaratne (Retd) (FormerChief of Defence Staff) |
In December 2024, a Standing Committee on defense report tabled inLok Sabha stated that the Mi-17 crash, which took place on December 8, 2021, occurred because of "Human Error (Aircrew)".[88][89]
On Rawat's first death anniversary, his bust was unveiled at theUnited Service Institution of India (USI) by theMinister of State for DefenceAjay Bhatt. A chair of excellence and a memorial lecture was instituted at the institute by theIndian Armed Forces and the USI.[90] The General Bipin Rawat Block at theMilitary Engineer Services Inspection Bungalow (MES IB) inColaba, Mumbai is named for Rawat.[91]TheGeneral Rawat India-Australia Young Defence Officers' Exchange Programme established in March 2022 is named for Rawat. The programme is aimed at enhancing professional military contacts between the two armed forces and facilitate the exchange of ideas and operational experiences.[92][93][94]
On Rawat's 65th birth anniversary, theIndian Navy instituted theGeneral Bipin Rawat rolling trophy for the Woman Agniveer Trainee standing First in Overall Order of Merit. The trophy was instituted to honour his contribution to transformationalAgnipath Scheme and is presented at the sailors training centreINS Chilka. The Navy also instituted theGeneral Bipin Rawat Rolling trophy for the Most Spirited Officer undergoing the Naval Higher Command Course (NHCC) at theNaval War College, Goa.[95]In December 2013, the Jhelum Stadium in Janbazpora, Baramulla was renamedGeneral Bipin Rawat stadium. Rawat had served as the GOC 19 Infantry Division, headquartered at Baramulla.[96]
During his career of nearly 43 years, he was awarded multiple times for gallantry and distinguished service. He was awarded theVishisht Seva Medal in 2001, theSena Medal in 2005, theYudh Seva Medal in 2009, theAti Vishisht Seva Medal in 2013, theUttam Yudh Seva Medal in 2016 and theParam Vishisht Seva Medal in 2019. He was also awarded theCOAS Commendation on two occasions and the Army Commander's Commendation. While serving with the United Nations, he was awarded the Force Commander's commendation twice.[97][98] He was posthumously honored with thePadma Vibhushan in 2022.[99]
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| Insignia | Rank | Component | Date of rank |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Second Lieutenant | Indian Army | 16 December 1978[100] |
 | Lieutenant | Indian Army | 16 December 1980[101] |
 | Captain | Indian Army | 31 July 1984[102] |
 | Major | Indian Army | 16 December 1989[103] |
 | Lieutenant Colonel | Indian Army | 1 June 1998[104] |
 | Colonel | Indian Army | 1 August 2003[105] |
 | Brigadier | Indian Army | 1 October 2007 (seniority from 17 May 2007)[106] |
 | Major General | Indian Army | 20 October 2011 (substantive, seniority from 11 May 2010)[107] |
 | Lieutenant General | Indian Army | 1 June 2014 (substantive)[108] |
 | General (COAS) | Indian Army | 1 January 2017[109] |
| General (CDS) | Indian Armed Forces (tri-service) | 31 December 2019[110] |
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{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | General Officer CommandingIII Corps 1 September 2014 – 23 November 2015 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Command 1 January 2016 – 31 July 2016 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Vice Chief of the Army Staff 1 September 2016 – 31 December 2016 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief of the Army Staff 31 December 2016 – 31 December 2019 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee 27 September 2019 – 31 December 2019 (asCOAS) 1 January 2020 – 8 December 2021 (asCDS) | |
| Preceded by Office established | Chief of Defence Staff 1 January 2020 – 8 December 2021 | Succeeded by |
| Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army (1947–1948) |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Chief of the Army Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army (1948–1955) | ||
| Chief of the Army Staff (1955–present) |
| |
(**Seconded from theBritish Army) | ||
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