India on Friday bid a tearful farewell to its first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat who was killed in a tragic military chopper crash in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday along with his wife and 11 other defence personnel.

Thousands of people, including several political leaders, foreign envoys and the military top brass, paid tributes to General Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat at his Delhi residence and Brar Square in Delhi Cantonment where the last rites were performed just before the dusk.

The day also saw an emotional adieu to Brigadier LS Lidder, who was one of the 13 victims of the helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu, two days ago. 

There are several reasons which to some extent explain why the departed General tugged  at so many chords in a young and dynamic India. Symbolically,  Gen. Rawat was part of a red-team led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is anchoring  the rise of a secure and self-confident India.

Gen. Rawat, India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), had been handpicked by the Modi administration to drive the formation of theatre commands. These were to be formed by pooling in the assets of the army, the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Navy to deliver  a joint tri-service punch to destroy or degrade designated targets.

General Rawat, leading from the front, had declared that the  ambitious task of  forming theatre commands in three years. Consequently, he emerged as an icon for jointness in the armed forces, and a one-man army that firmly rejected the prevailing culture of working in silos.

The General was also the assertive symbol of a new India. He steered the cross-border strike in Myanmar against  rebels—an event that triggered the use of surgical strikes as a potent deterrent following the Uri attack. No armchair thinker, Gen. Rawat was the Chief of Army staff when the Indian armed forces stared down a belligerent China in Doklam in 2017, after a 73-day standoff. He was also known for asserting that India was prepared for a fighting two-and-a-half front war, taking on both China and Pakistan,  without foregoing a reserve capacity to tackle an uprising in Kashmir, in an unlikely but extreme scenario.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, the three service chiefs, Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar and several other leaders paid tributes to Brigadier Lidder before his cremation which also took place at Brar Square, earlier in the day.

The mortal remains of all those who were killed in the Coonoor helicopter crash were brought from Sulur to Delhi in an Indian Air Force aircraft on Thursday evening.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his homage to all the victims at the Palam airport and had also met the family members of all the deceased.

On Friday, a large number of people had gathered at the residence of the former CDS as his body, and that of his wife Madhulika Rawat, were brought from the army hospital. 

Home Minister Amit Shah Home arrived at the residence of the late Chief of Defence Staff to pay his homage on Friday morning.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, BJP national president JP Nadda and several other leaders also paid their tributes to General Rawat and his wife.

Ambassador of France to India Emmanuel Lenian, Israeli envoy Naor Gilon and military attaches of several other countries also arrived at the late General's residence to pay their homage.

The Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and several other cabinet ministers also paid homage to the late General before the start of his final journey.

Lt Gen Melvyn Ong, Chief of Defence Force, Singapore, visited the High Commission of India, Singapore to pay respects and sign the Condolence Book for Chief of Defence Staff of India, General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 military personnel. @mindefsg @SpokespersonMoD @MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/Nv65VdkogZ

— India in Singapore (@IndiainSingapor) December 10, 2021

As the bodies of CDS Rawat and his wife were taken from his residence to the Brar Square cremation ground, hundreds had gathered on both sides of the road, holding the Indian flag and posters of the late Army officer. 

Arrangements of the last rites of General Rawat and his wife were looked after by 5/11 Gorkha Rifles, the unit in which he was commissioned and also commanded later.

SanhChau Pham, Ambassador of Vietnam to India, paying his tribute to General Bipin Rawat in New Delhi on Friday (Image courtesy: Vietnam High Commission in New Delhi)

Australia's Acting Deputy High Commissioner Ian Biggs and Assistant Defence Adviser Major Daniel White signing the condolence book at the residence of the CDS in New Delhi on Friday (Image courtesy: Australian High Commission in New Delhi)

The Indian embassies and High Commissions all over the world also saw several defence ministers and chiefs signing the condolence book in remembrance of General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 military personnel.

General Angus Campbell, Chief of Defence Force, Australia signed the condolence book at High Commission of India, Canberra in remembrance of General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 military personnel. @CDF_Aust pic.twitter.com/qeLA4Js60Z

— India in Australia (@HCICanberra) December 10, 2021

The Defence Minister of Indonesia, H. E. Prabowo Subianto signed the Condolence Book opened in honour and memory of CDS General Bipin Rawat and cherished the bond shared during his visit to India in July. 🙏 @DDIndialive @DDNewslive @DDNational pic.twitter.com/LAvufRjqwk

— India in Indonesia (@IndianEmbJkt) December 10, 2021

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