India on Wednesday paid tribute to Bipin Rawat, who was the country’s first chief of defence staff, on his birth anniversary. Known for being blunt and outspoken, the senior Army officer, his wife and 11 others died in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu’s Coonoor last year.
Yesterday Army Chief General MM Naravane announced the setting up of a ‘Chair of Excellence’ in memory of Gen Rawat at the United Service Institution of India (USI).According to a statement, the Gen Bipin Rawat Memorial Chair of Excellence will focus on the field of jointness and integration among the armed forces.”Late General Bipin Rawat who served as India’s first CDS as well as the 27th Chief of Indian Army was an outstanding professional and was in the midst of steering one of the most radical transformations of the Indian military,” the Army stated.
