CDS General Bipin Rawat's final journey
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to General Bipin Rawat and other officials and wrote that India will never forget their rich contribution
Nation is mourning
The entire nation is mourning the untimely demise of India's Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and 12 others in the helicopter crash.
Mortal remains of CDS Gen Rawat and other officials laid draped in the Indian flag as soldiers paid their respects in Coonoor during a military funeral ceremony at the Madras regimental Center in Wellington, Tamil Nadu.
(Photograph:AFP)
Tributes pour in
Gen Bipin Rawat, 63, was appointed as India's first chief of defence staff by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in late 2019, with an aim of integrating the army, navy and air force.
After soldiers paid their respects at the Madras regimental Center, the mortal remains were taken to New Delhi.
Tributes poured in from around the world as some top officials and dignitaries of other countires tweeted to offer condolences to those killed in the crash.
(Photograph:AFP)
'With a heavy heart, I paid my salutes'
At the Madras regimental Center, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin was amongst the attendees. "With a heavy heart, I paid my salutes and last respects, on behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu, to the mortal remains of our CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat and other selfless defence personnel who lost their lives in the Helicopter Crash, while in service of the nation," Stalin tweeted.
Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan also paid floral tribute to General Rawat and others at Madras Regimental Centre.
(Photograph:AFP)
Palam air base
The mortal remains of the deceased were brought to the Indian capital in an Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft that landed at the Palam air base at around 7:35pm IST.
Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari brought the mortal remains of all the deceased.
(Photograph:AFP)
PM Modi pays tribute: 'India will never forget their rich contribution'
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to General Bipin Rawat and other officials. "Paid my last respects to Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and other personnel of the Armed Forces. India will never forget their rich contribution," PM Modi tweeted.
India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and NSA Ajit Doval also paid homage to the deceased at a sombre ceremony, where the families members of those killed in the crash were present.
Indian Army Chief MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, Air Chief Marshal AVR Chaudhari, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar also paid last respects.
(Photograph:AFP)
