CDS General Bipin Rawat passes away in chopper crash
- General Bipin Rawat, the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of India, has passed away on December 08, 2021 in a helicopter crash in Ooty near upper Coonoor in Tamil Nadu, shortly after it took off from the Sulur Airforce base. He was 63.
- Gen. Rawat was accompanied by his wife Madhulika Rawat and members of his personal staff on an Indian Air Force Mil Mi-17 helicopter.
- There were a total of 14 people on board out of which 13 have been confirmed dead in the incident.
- Group Captain Varun Singh is the sole survivor of the crash.
- Gen Bipin Rawat was on a visit to Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington (Nilgiri Hills) to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course.
About General Bipin Rawat
- General Bipin Rawat (PVSM UYSM AVSM YSM SM VSM ADC ) was born in Pauri of Uttarakhand on 16 March 1958. His family had been serving in the Indian Army for multiple generations.
- Gen Rawat was commissioned into the 5th battalion of 11 Gorkha Rifles on 16 December 1978.
- The Government of India appointed him as the 27th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) on 17 December 2016 and he took office as 27th COAS on 31 December 2016, after retirement of General Dalbir Singh Suhag.
