Indonesia's Def Min mourns demise of Gen Rawat, calls him 'good friend & great patriot'

Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto signed the condolence book in Jakarta on the tragic demise of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat. The 63-year-old tri-services chief, along with his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 others, lost their lives on Wednesday after the Mi-17 V5 helicopter of the Indian Air Force crashed near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. According to a tweet by the Indian Embassy in Indonesia, Subianto on Friday, in his condolence message, expressed “deepest condolences” over Gen Rawat’s untimely death and called the CDS “good friend and a great Indian patriot”. 

“On the behalf of the Indonesian Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces, I would like to express our deepest condolences on the tragic loss of General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff, Indian Armed Forces,” the Indonesian Defence Minister wrote. 

"He was a good friend and a great Indian patriot. May he rest in peace with highest regards," he added.

CDS Gen Bipin Rawat & his wife laid to rest 

Meanwhile, it is to mention that the mortal remains of CDS Gen Rawat and his wife were laid side by side on the same pyre for cremation at the Brar Square crematorium. A total of 800 service personnel were in attendance for the military funeral of the CDS. General Rawat and his wife were accorded a 17 gun salute. Post the playing of the Last Post and Rouse by tri-services buglers, the funeral pyre was lit by family members.

In total, 14 people were onboard the chopper that met with the accident on Wednesday. Apart from CDS General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat, others who lost their lives included Defence Assistant to CDS Brigadier LS Lidder, SO to CDS Lt. Col. Harjinder Singh, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitendra Kumar, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar, Lance Naik B Sai Teja and Havaldar Satpal. The Shaurya Chakra awarded Group Captain Varun Singh is the lone survivor of the accident. He is currently being treated in Bengaluru after being shifted from Wellington Army hospital.

(Image: AP/PTI)