India mourns sudden death of CDS Bipin Rawat in copter crash

India mourns sudden death of CDS Bipin Rawat in copter crash General Bipin Rawat, India's first Chief of Defence Staff, and his wife died after a military chopper crashed in Tamil Nadu, killing 13 on board. PM Modi expressed condolences to all brave warriors who died in the crash on December 8.
The General who was overseeing a tri-services modernisation plan to bring synergy and enhance combat capability, was on his way to the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) at Wellington to deliver a lecture when his Russian-made Mi-17V5 helicopter crashed.The others who died in the crash were Brigadier LS Lidder (the CDS’ defence adviser), Lt Col Harjinder Singh, Wing Commander PS Chauhan, Squadron Leader Kuldeep Singh, Junior Warrant Officers Das and Pradeep A, Havildar Satpal, Naik Jitender Kumar, Naik Gursewak Singh, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar and Lance Naik Sai Teja.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the demise of General Rawat and others stating that the demise of India's first Chief of Defence Staff is a "great loss for every patriot." Hailing the late General Bipin Rawat as “a brave warrior” who put the armed forces on the path to being “atma nirbhar”, Modi said the nation's pain at his passing would translate into a renewed resolve to continue the journey he so passionately believed in.
Modi said India's first Chief of Defence Staff, worked relentlessly towards strengthening the borders, improving coordination among the armed forces and building a set-up that would be self-reliant in every way. He said the best tribute to the General from a country in mourning would be to “strive harder to face every challenge, both within and outside the country”. The PM also mentioned the lone crash survivor, Group Captain Varun Singh, who is fighting for his life in a hospital in Bengaluru. He assured Singh’s family that the country would stand by them, and with the families of all those who lost their loved ones in the tragedy.
The crucial flight data recorder (FDR) was recovered from the wreckage near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. Defence minister Rajnath Singh said that the ill-fated chopper was just seven minutes from its scheduled landing at Wellington. “What happened during those crucial minutes will also be examined by the tri-Service inquiry led by Air Marshal Manvendra Singh, who heads the IAF Training Command, to ascertain whether it was a technical defect or human error, and if was caused or compounded by a sudden weather related problem in the hilly Nilgiris terrain.”
General Rawat, 63, took charge as India's first Chief of Defence Staff in January 2019. The position was created to integrate the three services - the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. The Chief of Defence Staff is the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and has to be the main military adviser to the Defence Minister besides giving impartial advice to the political leadership. A former Army Chief, General Rawat was also appointed the head of the newly-created Department of Military Affairs. The general joined the army as a second lieutenant in 1978 and had four decades of service behind him, having commanded forces in Jammu and Kashmir and along the Line of Actual Control bordering China.