Farewell Hero: Gen Rawat laid to final rest with full military honours
New Delhi:
Their two daughters Kritika and Tarini performed the last rites.
India's first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat laid to final rest with full military honours and 17-gun salute.
His last rites were performed along with his wife Madhulika Rawat, who too lost her life in Chopper crash on Wednesday in Tamil Nadu.
A pall of gloom descended over the Brar Square Crematorium and the roads between his residence and the venue where the last rites were conducted.
The ashes of Gen Rawat and his deceased wife likely to be taken to Haridwar on Saturday,
sources said.
Hundreds of Gen Rawat's admirers and children waved a final goodbye to the
man whom they saw as the army chief and later the command chief of three forces at a critical time
India's history when forces carried out three major strikes against terrorists and the
civil-military administration undertook the much needed defence reforms.
In 2015, India undertook a major operation in Manipur and deep inside wilds of Myanmar.
The operation was planned by Lt Gen Rawat's team from Dimapur in Nagaland.
In 2016 Surgical strike across LoC in September too, Rawat was involved in the planning
exercise. In 2019 again, Air Force carried out aerial strike and destroyed terror camps
at Balakot.
As the CDS, Gen Rawat was also the Secretary to the Department of Military Affairs.
It spoke of the importance Gen Rawat held.
"It's incredibly sad. He was a pioneer as he started the joint defence approach which we
follow in the UK," lamented Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was present during the last rites.
Mobile phones were up in the air in the hands of mourners at times who wanted to click a final
shot and capture the moment. The deluge of mourners, many old timers said, was something
the national capital has not seen for a man in camouflage.
Seven other Indian Army officers and jawans including Brig LS Lidder, four Indian Air Force officers and Gen
Rawat's wife Madhulika lost their lives in the military chopper crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on
Dec 8.
The final journey of CDS General Bipin Rawat from his residence to the Brar Square crematorium had started
around 2 pm.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced in both Houses of Parliament on Thursday that all officers
and jawans would be given military honours.
Army said, positive identification of only three mortal remains has been possible as of now,
that of General Bipin Rawat, Madhulika Rawat and Brigadier LS Lidder.
Officials say, Brig L S Lidder, Commissioned to JAKRIF in Dec 1990, was also
approved to Maj Gen rank and due to take over a Division soon.
Earlier in the day, Brig Lidder's wife Geetika in an emotional remark said, she is
a 'soldier's wife' and her husband deserved a good farewell.
Their daughter Aashna recalled her father as an affectionate man and the "biggest motivator".
People raised slogans in mournful voices - 'ab tak suraj chand rahega....'.
Sixty-six-year Sardar Gurdev Singh said, his son too is in the Indian army. "...And
I know how much different Gen Rawat as the army chief and later as the CDS made it
for the forces and the junior level personnel".
In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met the
the family members of Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan, who also was killed in the helicopter
crash.
Expressing his condolences, the Chief Minister said that the state govt will provide a job to his family
member and Rs 50 lakh compensation.
"We will also name an institution after him," the Chief Minister said.
Son of a Lieutenant General (Laxman Singh Rawat), Gen Bipin Rawat was an alumnus of St.Edward
School, Shimla and the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla.
Rawat was a graduate from the Defence Services Staff college, Wellington and had also attended the
command and general staff course at Fort Leavenworth, USA.
Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne (Retd), former Chief of Defence Staff of Sri Lanka and
CDS Rawat's course-mate at National Defence College also came to pay tribute.
Chief Justice of India, N V Ramana also paid his respect.
Military commanders of Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, and Bangladesh to attend last rites India’s
first CDS Gen Bipin Rawat
ends
Brigadier L S Lidder was one of the 13 who was martyred in the helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu.
New Delhi: A soldier never quits is something every man and woman in camouflage would believe. But family members of Indian soldiers - mothers, wives and children are also taught to be brave and self-sacrificing when it comes to Nation.
Geetika Lidder is sad, but she does not want to hurt her 'hero' and country's patriot son Brigadier L S Lidder. "We must give him a good farewell, a smiling send-off," says Geetika, the mother of their daughter Aashna Lidder. "I am a soldier's wife," she says even as her eyes look moist. The voice trying to betray her emotions, almost. " It's a big loss....," she says.
Daughter Aashna recalls her father as an affectionate man and the "biggest motivator". A 16-something, yet she reflects confidence and maturity befitting a soldier's family.
Those who have seen forces from close range know that every daughter is a "Beta" in every Fauzi house - a description kept reserved for sons for ages. ".... My dad was with me for 17 years. We will go ahead with happy memories. It's a national loss. My father was a hero, my best friend," she says. "Maybe it was destined ...," she says, showing respect to the Hindu philosophy of Karma, existence and disappearance.
Meanwhile, BJP chief J P Nadda, former Defence Minister A K Antony, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, along with military attaches of different countries, religious leaders and also French & Israel envoys - Emmanuel Lenian and Naor Gilon paid floral tribute to India's first CDS Gen Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat, who lost their lives in the IAF chopper crash on Dec 8 in Tamil Nadu. Daughters of CDS Rawat and Madhulika Rawat - Kritika and Tarini also paid their respect to parents.
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