Bipin Rawat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
General
Bipin Rawat
PVSM UYSM AVSM YSM SM VSM ADC
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Official portrait, 2020
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| 1st Chief of Defence Staff | |
| In office 1 January 2020 – 8 December 2021 |
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| President | Ram Nath Kovind |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Minister of Defence | Rajnath Singh |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Vacant |
| 57th Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee | |
| In office 27 September – 31 December 2019 (as COAS) 1 January 2020 – 8 December 2021 (as CDS) |
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| President | Ram Nath Kovind |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Minister of Defence | Rajnath Singh |
| Preceded by | Birender Singh Dhanoa |
| Succeeded by | Manoj Mukund Naravane |
| 26th Chief of the Army Staff | |
| In office 31 December 2016 – 31 December 2019 |
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| President | |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Minister of Defence |
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| Preceded by | Dalbir Singh Suhag |
| Succeeded by | Manoj Mukund Naravane |
| 37th Vice Chief of the Army Staff | |
| In office 1 September 2016 – 31 December 2016 |
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| President | Pranab Mukherjee |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Minister of Defence | Manohar Parrikar |
| Preceded by | Man Mohan Singh Rai |
| Succeeded by | Sarath Chand |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 March 1958 Pauri, Pauri Garhwal district, Uttar Pradesh, India (now in Uttarakhand, India) |
| Died | 8 December 2021 (aged 63) Bandishola, Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Cause of death | Helicopter crash |
| Spouse |
Madhulika Rawat
(m. 1985; died 2021) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  India |
| Branch/service |  Indian Army |
| Years of service | 16 December 1978 – 8 December 2021 |
| Rank |  General |
| Unit |  5/11 Gorkha Rifles |
| Commands |
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| Service number | IC-35471M |
| Awards |
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General Bipin Rawat (born 16 March 1958 – died 8 December 2021) was a very important Indian military officer. He was a four-star general in the Indian Army.
He became the first ever Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) for the Indian Armed Forces in January 2020. He held this top position until he sadly passed away in a helicopter crash in December 2021. Before becoming the CDS, he was the 57th Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the 26th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Bipin Rawat was born in a town called Pauri in the Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand, India. This was on 16 March 1958. His family had a long history of serving in the Indian Army.
His father, Lakshman Singh Rawat, was also a military officer. He retired as a Lieutenant General, which is a very high rank.
Rawat went to school at Cambrian Hall in Dehradun and St. Edward's School in Shimla. After that, he joined the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy. He did so well at the Indian Military Academy that he graduated first in his class and received the 'Sword of Honour'.
He continued his studies at the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) and the United States Army Command and General Staff College. He earned a master's degree in Defence Studies and also diplomas in Management and Computer Studies. Later, he received a special doctorate degree for his research on military and media studies.
Military Career
Starting His Army Journey
Bipin Rawat joined the 5th battalion of the 11 Gorkha Rifles on 16 December 1978. This was the same unit his father had served in.
In 1987, when he was a Captain, his battalion was sent to the Sumdorong Chu valley. They were facing the Chinese People's Liberation Army in a tense situation. This was the first time the two armies had a direct confrontation in that area since the 1962 war.
Rawat had a lot of experience fighting in high mountains. He spent ten years working on counter-insurgency operations, which means fighting against rebel groups. He led a company of soldiers in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir.
As a Colonel, he commanded his own battalion, the 5th battalion of the 11 Gorkha Rifles, near the border with China. Later, as a Brigadier, he led a unit of the Rashtriya Rifles in Sopore.
Peacekeeping in Congo
Rawat also led a multinational brigade called MONUSCO in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This was a very challenging mission to bring peace to the region.
Soon after he arrived, the brigade faced a big attack in the east. This attack threatened a major city called Goma. Rawat acted quickly to protect the people and stabilize the area. He worked closely with the Congolese Army and local communities.
His leadership helped prevent Goma from falling and encouraged the armed groups to join peace talks. For his excellent work, he received the Force Commander’s Commendation twice.
Becoming a General
After becoming a Major General, Rawat took charge of the 19th Infantry Division in Uri. As a Lieutenant General, he commanded the III Corps and then the Southern Command in Pune.
He also worked in various important staff roles. He was an instructor at the Indian Military Academy. He also served in logistics and as a senior instructor.
2015 Myanmar Border Operation
In June 2015, some Indian soldiers were killed in an attack in Manipur. The Indian Army responded by carrying out cross-border strikes against militant camps in Myanmar. The special forces unit involved in this operation was under the command of Bipin Rawat.
Chief of the Army Staff
On 17 December 2016, the Indian government chose Bipin Rawat to be the 27th Chief of the Army Staff. This is the top position in the Indian Army. He took office on 31 December 2016.
He was the third officer from the Gorkha Brigade to become the Chief of the Army Staff. Before him, only Sam Manekshaw and Dalbir Singh Suhag from the Gorkha Brigade had held this position.
In 2019, General Rawat was honored by the United States Army Command and General Staff College. He was also made an honorary General of the Nepalese Army. This is a special tradition between the Indian and Nepali armies to show their close ties.
Rawat also served as the 57th Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.
Doklam Standoff with China
In 2017, there was a 73-day military standoff at Doklam between India and China. This happened because China was building a road in a disputed border area. After the standoff ended, Rawat said that China was trying to expand its territory. He stressed that India needed to be ready for any conflicts.
India's Defense Readiness
General Rawat often spoke about India needing to be prepared for challenges from its neighbors. He believed that India should always be ready to defend its borders.
Chief of Defence Staff
Bipin Rawat became the first ever Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Indian Armed Forces on 1 January 2020. This was a new and very important role. He was responsible for bringing together the Army, Navy, and Air Force to work more closely.
His goal was to create "theatre commands," which are unified commands for different regions. This would help the armed forces work together more efficiently. He believed this would take several years to complete.
Ladakh Standoff with China
During his time as CDS, there was another border standoff with the Chinese Army in Ladakh. This was another challenging situation that required careful handling.
Personal Life
In 1985, Bipin Rawat married Madhulika Rawat. She came from a royal family background. She studied psychology at the University of Delhi. They had two daughters, Kritika and Tarini.
Madhulika Rawat was very active in welfare work. She was the president of the Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) and later the Defence Wives Welfare Association (DWWA). She worked to help the wives of military personnel become financially independent. She also supported military widows, children with disabilities, and cancer patients.
Death
On 8 December 2021, General Rawat, his wife, and 11 other people were traveling in an Indian Air Force helicopter. They were flying from Sulur Air Force Base to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington. Rawat was going to give a lecture there.
At around 12:10 p.m., the helicopter crashed near a village in the Nilgiris district. General Rawat, his wife, and 11 others sadly died in the crash. One officer, Group Captain Varun Singh, initially survived but later passed away from his injuries on 15 December. General Rawat was 63 years old when he died.
General Rawat and his wife were cremated with full military honors on 10 December 2021. Their daughters performed the last rites. Their ashes were later taken to Haridwar and immersed in the holy Ganges river.
Honours and Decorations
During his nearly 43 years of service, General Bipin Rawat received many awards for his bravery and excellent service. He was given the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Yudh Seva Medal, Sena Medal, and Vishisht Seva Medal. He also received the Chief of the Army Staff Commendation twice.
After his death, he was honored with the Padma Vibhushan in 2022. This is India's second-highest civilian award.
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| Padma Vibhushan (posthumous) | Param Vishisht Seva Medal | Uttam Yudh Seva Medal | |
| Ati Vishisht Seva Medal | Yudh Seva Medal | Sena Medal | Vishisht Seva Medal |
| Wound Medal | Samanya Seva Medal | Special Service Medal | Operation Parakram Medal |
| Sainya Seva Medal | High Altitude Service Medal | Videsh Seva Medal | 50th Anniversary of Independence Medal |
| 30 Years Long Service Medal | 20 Years Long Service Medal | 9 Years Long Service Medal | MONUSCO |
Images for kids
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Madhulika Rawat and then COAS Bipin Rawat at the NCC Reception in New Delhi on 16 January 2018.
See also
In Spanish: Bipin Rawat para niños
