Integrated Defence Staff pays heartfelt condolences to untimely demise of CDS Gen Bipin Rawat

Integrated Defence Staff on Wednesday paid heartfelt condolences to the untimely demise of Gen Bipin Rawat and said that the Armed forces will remain indebted to the steller contribution of India's First CDS.

"All Ranks of HQ Integrated Defence Staff pay heartfelt condolences to the untimely demise of Gen Bipin Rawat, CDS, Mrs Madhulika Rawat & 11 Officers, Soldiers and airmen on board IAF Helicopter which crashed today in Tamilnadu," tweeted Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS).

"The Armed forces will ever remain indebted to the steller contribution of India's First CDS. Jai Hind," added HQ IDS.

Sixty-three-year-old Rawat took charge as India's first chief of defense staff on December 31, 2019, after serving as the army chief for a full three-year term. CDS Rawat was commissioned into the Indian Army in December 1978.

The sad news was confirmed by Indian Air Force on Wednesday through their 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 on Wednesday.

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

( With inputs from ANI )