From Surgical strike to Myanmar mission: Remembering India’s first CDS Gen Bipin Rawat

The CDS is a four-star officer who serves as the senior-most military advisor to the government and the Prime Minister.

As India marks General Bipin Rawat's 1st birth anniversary, here's a look back at the life and legacy of Nation's 1st CDS.

General Bipin Rawat was the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of India. The position was created in 2019 to enhance the coordination between the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. Prior to taking over as the CDS, he served as the 57th Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (Chairman COSC) of the Indian Armed Forces as well as 26th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army.

• Born in 1958 in the Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand, General Rawat came from a family with a strong military background. His father, Laxman Singh Rawat, was a Lieutenant General in the Indian Army, and his grandfather was a Subedar Major in the Army. From an early age, he was inspired by his father's dedication to serving the country, and he decided to follow in his footsteps.
• General Rawat, a visionary leader, a scholar soldier and a military reformer, was known for his professionalism, principles, conviction and decisiveness. In a distinguished career spanning over four decades, General Rawat's achievements were remarkable in all spheres of military and national security affairs.
• General Rawat received his early education at Cambrian Hall School in Dehradun and later attended the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun, where he was commissioned into the 5th Battalion of the 11 Gorkha Rifles in December 1978.
• General Rawat was commissioned into the Indian Army in December 1978 and served for over four decades.
• Over the course of his illustrious career, General Rawat held a variety of important positions in the Indian Army. After serving as the Indian Army Chief, he was appointed as first Chief of Defence Staff of the country. The government had amended the Army rules to extend the age of superannuation from 62 to 65, which went on to pave the way for the appointment for the post of CDS.
• General Rawat was also a part of several important military operations, including Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka and Operation Maitri in the aftermath of the 2015 Nepal earthquake.

• He was known for his experience in counter-insurgency operations and was instrumental in conducting surgical strikes against terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in 2016.
• He was credited with largely bringing down the menace of insurgency in Northeast. He was instrumental in India's response to an ambush by the NSCN-K in which the Indian Army launched a cross-border operation into Myanmar.
• General Rawat was decorated with several honours including the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, Yudh Seva Medal, and Sena Medal.
• General Rawat was a voracious reader and had a keen interest in military history and geopolitics.

The untimely death on December 8, 2021, in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu was a great loss for the Indian Armed Forces and the country as a whole.