New Delhi: To commemorate the first death anniversary of India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his bust was unveiled by Union Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt at United Service Institution of India (USI) in New Delhi on Saturday.

During the ceremony, rich tributes were paid to General Rawat by the minister, current CDS General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande and other serving and retired members of the military fraternity, the defence ministry said.

The Armed Forces and the USI have taken the initiative to institute a Chair of Excellence and a Memorial Lecture in the memory of General Bipin Rawat at the Institution, it said.

On December 8, 2021, General Rawat along with his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 others lost their lives in a helicopter crash in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu.

During his service, India’s first CDS was conferred with PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM and Padma Vibhushan (posthumously).

During his four decades in service, General Rawat had gained vast operational experience in the full spectrum of warfare. As a brigadier, he led successful counter-terrorism operations in Sopore and successfully commanded a multinational brigade under United Nations in Democratic Republic of Congo, the defence ministry said.

As a Major General, he had commanded an Infantry Division along the Line of Control in North Kashmir. As the Corps commander, he oversaw the conduct of hot pursuits of terror groups executed by Indian Army’s Special Forces into Myanmar.

Later on, as Vice Chief of the Army Staff, he was instrumental in overseeing the surgical strikes against Pakistan-based terrorist groups in PoK, the statement said.

The defence ministry said that as Chief of the Army Staff, General Rawat’s achievements were remarkable in all spheres of military and national security affairs.