Mortal remains of General Bipin Rawat and others arrived at Palam airport in Delhi. (Express photo Anil Sharma)General Bipin Rawat Chopper Crash Highlights: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and NSA Ajit Doval paid their respects to CDS Bipin Rawat and other Armed Forces personnel, who were killed in the chopper crash in Tamil Nadu’s Coonoor, at around 9 PM today at the Palam airbase in New Delhi. The three services chiefs were also present.
Heart-wrenching scenes were seen at the airport as 13 caskets were placed inside a hangar in presence of their family members. Only three of the 13 bodies have been identified so far — Gen Rawat and his wife, Madhulika Rawat, and Brigadier LS Lidder. Army officials said the bodies of those identified will be released to families for last rites.
Meanwhile, Group Captain Varun Singh, decorated with the Shaurya Chakra on Independence Day this year, who was the lone survivor of the crash, is in critical condition and was airlifted to the Command Hospital in Bangalore for treatment.
where an IAF chopper carrying Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, his wife and 12 others crashed. (Express photo)
Site of the IAF chopper crash, which killed CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 others.
The three service chiefs - Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar & IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari pay last respects to CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and other 11 Armed Forces personnel who lost their lives in military chopper crash yesterday.
Some more visuals from Delhi's Palam airport, where mortal remains of CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madulika Rawat and 11 others who lost their lives in a military chopper crash, have been placed.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pays last respects to CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and other 11 Armed Forces personnel who lost their lives in the chopper crash yesterday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to those killed in the Tamil Nadu chopper crash yesterday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived at the Palam airbase, where mortal remains of CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madulika Rawat and 11 others who lost their lives in a military chopper crash, have been placed. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and NSA Ajit Doval are also present.
After arriving at the Palam airbase, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with families of CDS General Bipin Rawat and other Armed Forces personnel, who lost their lives in the Tamil Nadu chopper crash on Wednesday.
NSA Ajit Doval is also present at the Palam airbase.
The mortal remains of CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madulika Rawat and 11 others, who lost their lives in the Tamil Nadu chopper crash yesterday, placed at Palam airbase.
The mortal remains of Madhulika Rawat, president of the Army Wives Welfare Association and wife of late CDS General Bipin Rawat, have been kept at the Palam airbase in New Delhi.
General Rawat's family members also paid their tribute.
The mortal remains of General Bipin Rawat, who lost his life in the Tamil Nadu chopper crash Thursday, being brought out of IAF aircraft that arrived at Palam airbase from Sulur.
The IAF aircraft carrying mortal remains of General Bipin Rawat, others arrived in New Delhi a short while ago.
Here's what we know about some of the Armed Force personnel who were killed in the crash
Havildar Satpal Rai
5/11 GR
-Enrolled in March 2002
-Served in Siachen, Naushera, Nagaland, Manipur
-Son serving in the same unit for the last one year.
Lt Col Harjinder Singh
2/11 GR
-DOB - 17 April 1978.
-Staff Officer to CDS.
-Commissioned- September 2001 from OTA, Chennai
-Instructor at IMA, Dehradun.
-Served in North East along LAC, LC in J&K
-Served in Sikkim Scouts
-Staff Officer in a Corps HQ.
-Served in AEC from 2004 to 2014
-Instructor at IMA and Served in High Altitude Area.
Brig LS Lidder
-DOB - 26 Jun 1969
-Commissioned to JAKRIF in Dec 1990
-DA to CDS since Jan 2021
-Approved to Maj Gen rank (was due to take over a Division)
-Commanded Brigade in Northern Borders
-Instructor at NDA
-CO 2 JAKRIF in UN in Congo
-DA at Kazakhstan
-Director at Military Operations Directorate
Naik Gursevak Singh
9 PARA (SF)
-Enrolled in March 2004
-Served in Ladakh, J&K (Poonch-Rajouri, South & North Kashmir)
-Demolition specialist and leadership course - Best Student
-Expert in Unarmed Combat and Close Quarter Battle.
Lance Naik Vivek Kumar
1 PARA SF
-Enrolled in December 2012
-Served in J&K (South & North Kashmir - Sino Indian border ahead of Spiti
-Specialist in Combat Freefall, Communication Expert and Excellent in Unarmed Combat
Lance Naik Jitender Kumar
3 PARA (SF)
-Enrolled in March 2011
-Served in the Desert sector along Indo-Pak border, Sino-Indian border near Pithoragarh and J&K
-Expert Sniper and specialist in Communications.
Lance Naik B Sai Teja
11 PARA (SF)
-Enrolled in Jun 2013
-Served in Super High Altitude in Arunachal along with the Sino-Indian border and Counter-Terrorist operations in Manipur and Nagaland.
-Expert in Mixed Martial Arts, Unarmed Combat, Communications and Electronic Warfare.
The unidentified bodies will be kept at the mortuary of Army Base Hospital in New Delhi till positive identification is done. The Army said that appropriate military funerals of all deceased are being planned and coordinated in close consultation with close family members.
Only three out of 13 bodies have been identified so far- General Bipin Rawat, Madhulika Rawat and Brigadier LS Lidder. Their mortal remains will be released to the families for last rites, the Army said.
The Indian Airforce aircraft carrying mortal remains of those killed in the Coonoor crash is expected to arrive at Palam airbase by 7.40 PM. The tribute ceremony will begin at around 8.30 PM.
The tribute ceremony will begin at around 8.30 PM at New Delhi's Palam airbase. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Secretary, Chief of Air, Army and Navy Staff will be laying wreaths.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead tributes to Bipin Rawat and others at Palam airport. Here are some visuals from the site
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday called on President Ram Nath Kovind and briefed him about the chopper crash near Coonoor that killed Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 11 armed forces personnel. The President is the Supreme Commander of the armed forces. Official sources said Singh apprised President Kovind about the accident as well as the situation arising out of it. (PTI)
Indian Air Force’s Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor of the Coonoor military chopper crash, has been shifted to Command Hospital, Bengaluru for further treatment.
According to ANI, the mortal remains of CDS and other Armed Forces personnel will reach Delhi around 8 pm today. Some of the family members of the personnel killed in the military aircraft crash will also be present.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, MoS Defence Ajay Bhatt and NSA Ajit Doval are expected to pay tribute to the mortal remains of CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 other personnel at the Palam Technical Area today evening.
Four hours before the chopper carrying him and 13 others, including Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat, crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu, Lance Naik B Sai Teja, 27, made a video call to his wife in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh.
Teja, who was among the 13 who died in the crash, leaves behind his wife Syamala, a homemaker, two children aged 5 and 2, and parents. Read the full report here.
Locals showered flower petals and raised 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' chant as ambulances carrying mortal remains of CDS General Rawat, his wife and other personnel who died in Coonoor military chopper crash, arrive at Sulur airbase from Madras Regimental Centre in Nilgiris district.
The Indian Army Wednesday said that the severity of the air crash has led to difficulty in positive identification of mortal remains. "All possible measures are being taken for positive identification considering the sensitivities and emotional well-being of the loved ones," the Army said.
"Appropriate military rites of all personnel will be ensured in consultation with close relatives once the process of positive identification is completed," it said.
Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor of the helicopter crash Wednesday, is still in critical condition. A year ago, he had a close call when a Light Combat Aircraft that he was flying developed a system failure, resulting in total loss of control. Going “beyond the call of duty”, he managed to land the aircraft and for this “act of exceptional gallantry”, he was awarded the Shaurya Chakra on Independence Day this year. Read the full report here.
Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor of the Coonor crash, is still in critical condition. He has been moved by a vehicle ambulance to Sulur and will be shifted to Command Hospital in Bangalore.
Describing General Bipin Rawat as a "true leader and true friend" of Israel, the country's top leadership has expressed condolences to the government and people of India at the "tragic and shocking loss" of its first Chief of Defence Staff who died in a helicopter crash.
The Mi-17V5 helicopter of the Indian Air Force (IAF) carrying the 63-year-old tri-services chief crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, killing 13 of the 14 people on board, including his wife and 11 other armed forces personnel. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in a tweet said, "My thoughts & prayers are with the families of those who perished in the tragic helicopter crash in India. May their souls rest in peace". (PTI)
IAF Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor of the helicopter crash that killed Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and 12 others, is being shifted to Bengaluru from the Army hospital at Wellington in Tamil Nadu, his father said on Thursday. The crash took place near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. Talking to PTI over phone, Group Captain Varun Singh's father Colonel K P Singh (retired), who is a resident of Bhopal, said, "He is being shifted to Bengaluru. I have reached Wellington." Asked about his son's condition, he said, "I can't say anything about that...I am not sure."
Lt Colonel Ishan R (retired), who lives next door to Col K P Singh's residence at Sun City on the Airport Road here, said he was hopeful that Group Captain Varun Singh will recover. He said Col K P Singh and his wife Uma were in Mumbai at the place of their younger son Tanuj, who is Lt Commander in the Navy, when they got the unfortunate news on Wednesday. (PTI)
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will brief President Ram Nath Kovind on the chopper crash that killed 13, including Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, and his wife Madhulika.
Defence officials on Thursday retrieved the Flight Data Recorder, more popularly known as 'Black Box', of the ill-fated Indian Air Force helicopter that crashed near here on Wednesday. Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat and 12 others were killed in the incident. Official sources said the black box was retrieved in the wake of authorities expanding the search area from 300 metres to one km from the accident spot. (PTI)
The Rajya Sabha observed two minutes of silence to pay tribute to CDS General Bipin Rawat, and 12 others who passed away in the IAF chopper crash in Coonoor on Wednesday.
"Indian Air Force (IAF) has ordered a tri-service enquiry into the military chopper crash. The investigation will be led by Air Marshal Manavendra Singh. The inquiry team reached Wellington yesterday itself and started the investigation," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in Lok Sabha.
Defence Minsiter Rajnath Singh paid tribute to the victims of the IAF chopper crash, including Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, his Wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 others. The mortal remains of the victims will be brought to Delhi today, Singh said.
The sole survivor of the crash, Group Captain Varun Singh, is undergoing treatment for severe burn injuries at the military hospital in Wellington, he added.
The bodies of those who died in the chopper crash were brought to the Madras Regimental Centre from Military Hospital, Wellington on Thursday.
The Flight Recorder, more popularly known as 'Black Box', of the ill-fated Indian Air Force helicopter that crashed near here on Wednesday, killing Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat and 12 others, has not yet been recovered and officials have expanded the area of search, police sources said.
The sources added the search area has been expanded from 300 metres to one km from the accident spot by the Defence officials. The black box would provide crucial data on the chain of events leading to the tragedy on the hills on Wednesday when the 63-year old Rawat, the country's first CDS, his wife and 11 others were killed when the Mi-17VH helicopter they were travelling in crashed and went up in flames, leaving only one survivor. (PTI)
General Bipin Rawat, India's first Chief of Defence Staff who died in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu, was a strong proponent of India-US defence ties and helped deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries, a senior US official has said. General Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 11 other people on board an Indian Air Force helicopter died in a crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, the Air Force said.
The copter carrying General Rawat and his entourage crashed in apparently foggy conditions, killing the 13 people on board, the IAF and other officials said. One person survived the crash and is being treated at a hospital. (PTI)
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will make a statement in Lok Sabha at 11 am today followed by a statement at Rajya Sabha on the military helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu.
The Mi-17V5 helicopter that crashed Wednesday had flown more than 26 hours without a snag after it was last serviced, according to sources. It belonged to the 109 Helicopter Unit based at the Sulur air base near Coimbatore.
No system malfunction or snag was reported in the last 2-3 sorties of this particular helicopter, sources said, adding “its history was clear, and there had been no technical failure”.
The Mi-17V5 is considered one of the “safest” and “most modern” military transport helicopters, a retired IAF officer said. “One must wait for the detailed investigation, but the past record of the helicopter model shows it is impeccable and 100% reliable.” Read the full report here.
IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari arrived at the crash site along with Tamil Nadu DGP C Sylendra Babu.
Belonging to a family of military officers and one of the most celebrated soldiers of his time, General Bipin Rawat took over as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on January 1, 2020 – the first to occupy the post that made him the country’s foremost military officer. Since his youth he was known for two things the most, the ability to come up with ideas, and not being shy to express them.
As CDS, he ranked above the other four-star military officers heading the Navy, Air Force and Army, headed the Department of Military Affairs in the Defence Ministry, carving out responsibilities that were with the Department of Defence till then, and was the Principal Military Advisor to the Defence Minister on all matters related to the forces. Read the full report here.
Born in Sainj village, in Uttarakhand’s Pauri Garhwal district, in 1958, Gen Bipin Rawat belonged to a family of Army officers – his father Laxman Singh Rawat had retired as Lieutenant General in the Army.
Sainj is situated at a significant height and is around 42 km from the district headquarters and approximately 4 km from Yamkeshwar. While 2011 Census data shows Sainj had 21 households and a population of 93, most of the people have by now migrated from the small village.
Rawat did not spend much time at his native village — he left for Dehradun for schooling at an early age. Read the full report here.
The Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun has cancelled the Commandant's Parade, the final rehearsal parade ahead of the passing out parade, which was slated to take place today.
"The decision regarding holding passing out parade will be taken after receiving instructions from Army HQ," IMA PRO Col Himani Pant said. (ANI)
IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari arrived in Coonoor to visit the site of the chopper crash, which killed CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 others.
The creation of the post of the Chief of Defence Staff had come after the demand had been made for decades. So, when the country’s first CDS, General Bipin Rawat, died on Wednesday with another year remaining in his tenure, it created an unforeseen situation for the security establishment: filling a dual-hatted vacuum. The CDS is also the Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA).
No line of succession
Unlike the structures for the military, where the second-in-command to every officer, whether in the field or as a service chief, officiates if the lead officer becomes indisposed, sources said there is no immediate line of succession envisaged for the CDS — although there is an unofficial Vice Chief of Defence Staff, who is a three-star officer.
For example, if a serving chief of the Army, the Navy or the Air Force becomes incapable of holding his position, the Vice Chief of that force officiates as the chief until the government appoints a full-time chief. It does not necessarily have to be the Vice Chief, though. Read the full report here.
Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor of the helicopter crashWednesday, is in critical condition at the Military Hospital in Wellington.
A year ago, he had a close call when a Light Combat Aircraft that he was flying developed system failure, resulting in total loss of control. Going “beyond the call of duty”, he managed to land the aircraft and for this “act of exceptional gallantry”, he was awarded the Shaurya Chakra on Independence Day this year.
In one of his Twitter posts, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said: “Praying for the speedy recovery of Gp Capt Varun Singh, who is currently under treatment at the Military Hospital, Wellington.” Read the full report here.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday mourned the demise of India's first Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu. "My deep condolences on the deaths of Indian Chief of Defence Staff General Rawat, his wife and colleagues who perished in today's tragic accident," Blinken said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday mourned the demise of India's first Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu.
'The Secretary General is deeply saddened by the death of General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces as well as his spouse and 11 other people in a helicopter crash. He expresses his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and to the people and Government of India,' his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York. (PTI)
The Uttarakhand government declared a three-day state mourning over the death of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash on Wednesday. The general belonged to Saina village of Pauri district in the state. The CM declared the state mourning from December 9 to 12, PTI reported.
Those killed in the chopper crash included Military Adviser to the Chief of Defence Staff Brig LS Lidder and staff officer Lt Col Harjinder Singh.
Here is the full list of people who died in the crash apart from Gen Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat:
1. Brig LS Lidder
2. Lt Col Harjinder Singh
3. Wg Cdr PS Chauhan
4. Sqn Ldr K Singh
5. JWO Das
6. JWO Pradeep A
7. Havildar Satpal
8. Naik Gursewak Singh
9. Naik Jitender Kumar
10. Lance Naik Vivek Kumar
11. Lance Naik Sai Teja
(PTI)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed grief over the demise of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat. He will always be remembered for the courage and devotion with which he served the nation, she tweeted.
Hours after a chopper carrying Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and 13 others crashed Wednesday in Nanjappa Chathiram in Tamil Nadu’s Coonoor, eyewitnesses of the incident recounted how an otherwise normal day turned tragic in no time.
Vennila, a local Anganwadi worker, said she was serving meals to the children at the centre like other days when the incident took place. “It was around 12 and I was serving meals to the children. The sound of the chopper, when it flew above the Anganwadi centre, enthused the kids but in no time, there was a loud noise and none of us thought it would turn into a deadly accident.”
She added, “The children who were playing on the ground saw the helicopter crash. They rushed to the residential area and informed the others about it and later, we dialed the 108 ambulance services for help.” Read the full report here.
The Indian Army personnel who lost their lives in the Nilgiris chopper crash include: L/Nk Vivek, L/Nk S Teja, Nk Jitender, Hav Satpal, Brig LS Lidder, Lt Col H Singh and Nk Gursewak Singh.
India’s Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 others were killed in a chopper crash near Ooty in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. The chopper was heading to the Wellington defence establishment. While the last time a chopper crash involving a senior Army officer was in 1993, similar accidents have led to the deaths of several political leaders. More details here.
President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were among the many who offered their condolences after Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat died in an IAF chopper crash on Wednesday. Read the full report here.
"Heartaching to learn of helicopter crash in India, claiming 13 precious lives, including the CDS Gen. Bipin Rawat and wife. People of Bhutan and I offer prayers for India and the bereaved families," the PM's official handle said in a tweet.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi has decided not to celebrate her birthday on Thursday, the party said on Wednesday. AICC general secretary K C Venugopal announced the party chief's decision on Twitter and urged party workers to avoid any celebrations.
The announcement came on a day Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 others died in a helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. (PTI)
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan expressed his deepest condolences on the untimely passing of CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife, Army officials and IAF crew in the chopper crash in Tamil Nadu.
The Indian Army on Wednesday paid heartfet condolences on the untimely demise of CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 others, in the chopper crash at Coonoor.
"The dynamic and inspiring leadership of General Bipin Rawat shall remain eternally etched in our memories. The Indian Armed Forces will forever remain indebted to his invaluable contributions," a tweet read.
Pakistan's top army officials condoled the death of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 others in the helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu.