Tearful tributes to these brave sons of Mother India: Lata Mangeshkar condoles CDS Gen Bipin Rawat's demise

Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar on Wednesday mourned the demise of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, who died today after a military chopper crashed in Tamil Nadu which killed 13 on board.

Taking to her Twitter handle, Mangeshkar wrote, "CDS General Bipin Rawat ji, unki Dharmpatni evam sena ke 11 anye afsaro ke helicopter durghatna me nidhan ki khabar atyant vednadayi hai. Isse hmare desh ki bohot badi haani hui hai. Mai Bharat mata ke in veer Sapooto ko ashrupuran shradhanjali arpan karti hu. Mai inke parivar ke dukh me shaamil hu."

(The news of the death of CDS General Vipin Rawat Ji, his wife, and 11 other army officers in the helicopter crash is extremely painful. This has caused great loss to our country. I offer tearful tributes to these brave sons of Mother India. I share in the grief of his family.)

The sad news was confirmed by Indian Air Force today through their official Twitter handle that read, "With deep regret, it has now been ascertained that Gen Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat, and 11 other persons on board have died in the unfortunate accident."

The helicopter crashed around noon shortly after it took off from the Air Force base in Sulur, Coimbatore, for Wellington in the Nilgiri Hills. The General was heading to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course today.

A veteran of counterinsurgency warfare, CDS Rawat served in the most difficult terrains including northern and eastern commands.

CDS Rawat was commissioned into the Indian Army in December 1978. He previously served as Chief of the Army Staff from January 2017 to December 2019.

( With inputs from ANI )