Late CDS General Bipin Rawat honoured with Padma Vibhushan, daughters receive award

The first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of India, General Bipin Rawat was posthumously conferred with India's second-highest civilian honour Padma Vibhushan on Monday. The daughters of General Rawat, Kritika and Tarini received the prestigious honour on March 21, from President Ram Nath Kovind in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

India lost CDS Gen. Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 12 other defencemen in a tragic incident involving a helicopter crash that unfolded in the outskirts of Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. A Mi5V17 chopper carrying them from Sulur Air Force Base to Wellington crashed near a residential colony of Coonoor. While 11 were declared dead at the site of the crash, three including General Bipin Rawat were rushed to the hospital, where he and another person succumbed to the injuries. Group Captain Varun Singh, the only survivor, who was being treated for severe burns, also passed away at Command Hospital in Bengaluru.

General Bipin Rawat

One of the most decorated officers of the Indian Army, Bipin Rawat started his journey in the armed forces in the year 1978 by first being commissioned in the 5th battalion of the 11 Gorkha Rifles (5/11 GR). The brave man leading to his heroics in the armed forces rose to the rank of General. Prestigious army honours including Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM), Atti Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), Yudh Seva Medal (YSM), Sena Medal (SM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) were conferred to him. 

The first CDS of the armed forces of India has also served his motherland as the 37th Vice Chief of Army Staff, 26th Chief of Army Staff and 57th Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee. Later in 2020, General Bipin Rawat was appointed the first Chief of Defence Staff.

Padma Awards

One of the highest civilian honours conferred in the country, Padma Awards are categorised into three groups namely Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shree and these aforementioned awards are second, third and fourth highest civilian awards in India respectively, while Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award. These awards are conferred to people who do exceptional work in the field of art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc.

This year, the President of India handed out 128 Padma awards of which 4 are Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri. 34 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 10 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI and 13 posthumous awardees.

Image: Twitter/@rashtrapatibhvn, PTI