Late CDS General Bipin Rawat honoured with Padma Vibhushan, India’s Second Highest Civilian Award

New Delhi: The first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of India, General Bipin Rawat, who died in a helicopter crash in December last year, was posthumously conferred with India's second-highest civilian honour Padma Vibhushan.

The daughters of General Rawat, Kritika and Tarini received the award from President Ram Nath Kovind in an event organised in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Gen Rawat, with his wife and 11 personnel from the armed forces died last year when the military helicopter they were travelling in crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.

As the first Chief of Defence Staff and Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs, Gen Rawat was working on the ambitious plan of integrating theatre commands of the three armed forces, along with their modernisation and enhancing their overall combat capabilities.

General Rawat had taken over the reins of the Indian Army from General Dalbir Singh Suhag on December 17, 2016, as the 27th Chief of Army Staff. Later, he was appointed as India's first Chief of Defence Staff on December 31, 2019.

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