General Bipin Rawat

General Bipin Rawat was India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, serving from 31 December 2020 until his death, and was also secretary of the Department of Military Affairs in the defence ministry. He was named for the Padma Vibhushan posthumously in 2022 in the field of civil service, from Uttarakhand ^[1].

A soldier’s son

Rawat was born on 16 March 1958 and studied at St Edward’s School, Shimla, and the National Defence Academy ^[2]. He won the Sword of Honour at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, and was commissioned on 16 December 1978 into the 5th Battalion of the 11th Gorkha Rifles, which his father had commanded ^[2]. He later earned a PhD from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, for research on military media and strategic studies ^[2].

Rising to command

He served as an instructor at the Indian Military Academy, in the Military Operations Directorate and the Military Secretary’s branch, and as Vice Chief of the Army Staff ^[2]. He was Chief of the Army Staff for a full three-year term, from 31 December 2016 to 31 December 2019 ^[2].

First Chief of Defence Staff

As Chief of Defence Staff he led the restructuring of India’s defence set-up, including work towards integrated theatre commands and joint logistics, training and planning across the three services ^[2]. He pushed for buying more defence equipment from Indian makers, and for building the forces’ capabilities in space, cyber and special operations ^[2]. His decorations included the PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM and VSM ^[2].

He died on 8 December 2021 ^[2].