General Bipin Rawat laid to rest: From Kashmir to Tamil Nadu, how India paid last tributes

With India’s finest military officer and first CDS General Bipin Rawat laid to rest today in Delhi, a state of sorrow has descended over the entire country. While a huge crowd emerged to pay final respects to the revered soldier in Delhi, the entire nation has made efforts to express their tributes to General Rawat and 12 others who died in the tragic IAF crash in their own way.

Visuals of people organising candlelight vigils, congregations in remembrance of the former chief of army staff, General Rawat have surfaced from the entire country. Some have also used different forms of arts to pay their respects to India’s gallantry hero General Rawat.

From Kashmir to Tamil Nadu, here’s how nation paid last tributes to General Rawat

CDS General Bipin Rawat & his wife laid to rest

Dignitaries paid final respects to India's foremost military officer on Friday. The last rites of CDS Rawat along with his wife Madhulika Rawat were conducted in the Brar Square crematorium, Delhi Cantonment. The couple were laid together on the funeral pyre.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief Ministers Pushkar Singh Dhami and Arvind Kejriwal, DRDO chief Dr G Satheesh, General Rawat's family members and several others were present at the decorated officer's funeral. A total of 800 service personnel were in attendance for the military funeral of the CDS. CDS Rawat and his wife were accorded a 17 gun salute. After the playing of the Last Post and Rouse by tri-services buglers, the funeral pyre was lit by family members.

Tragic IAF Chopper Crash

General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat succumbed to injuries on December 8 after an Indian Air Force Mi-17V5 helicopter carrying 14 defence personnel crashed in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor. The CDS along with his wife and 12 personnel of the defence staff were travelling to a college in Wellington when the devastating mishap took 13 lives. The Shaurya Chakra awarded Group Captain Varun Singh, who was also boarding the IAF chopper is the lone survivor of the accident. He is currently being treated in Bengaluru after being shifted from Wellington Army hospital.