India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, has been cremated with full military honours in Delhi today. He was given the 17-gun salute at the Brar Square crematorium in Delhi Cantonment. His wife Madhulika Rawat, who also died in the chopper crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu, was cremated alongside him. The last rites were performed by their daughters Kritika and Tarini.
CDS Rawat was accorded a 17-gun salute and Last Post and Rouse was played by tri-services buglers, as per the military protocols.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Defence Research and Development Organisation chief Dr G Satheesh Reddy, defence attaches of various countries, Ambassador of France in India Emmanuel Lenain and British High Commissioner Alex Ellis, were among the dignitaries who were present at the crematorium to pay their last respect.
#WATCH | Delhi: #CDSGeneralBipinRawat laid to final rest with full military honours, 17-gun salute. His last rites were performed along with his wife Madhulika Rawat, who too lost her life in #TamilNaduChopperCrash.
Their daughters Kritika and Tarini performed their last rites. pic.twitter.com/uTECZlIhI0
— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2021
People from all walks of life joined the funeral procession as it proceeded towards the crematorium to pay tribute to India’s first CDS.
(With inputs from agencies)