Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu condoled the death of Bipin Rawat, the country's first Chief of Defence Staff, who died after a military helicopter carrying him crashed in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor.
"Deeply shocked by the tragic death of Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, his spouse Smt. Madhulika Rawat, senior officials of the armed forces and others in a helicopter crash in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu," tweeted Naidu.
Naidu further said that he spoke to the Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh and conveyed my deep anguish. "My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family members in this hour of grief," he added.
Speaking about Bipin Rawat, Naidu added, "Known for his remarkable leadership and strategic vision, General Rawat added great strength to our defence capabilities and made a stellar contribution to strengthening our national security. His outstanding service to our nation will always be remembered."
A veteran of counterinsurgency warfare, CDS Rawat served in the most difficult terrains including northern and eastern commands.
CDS Rawat was commissioned into the Indian Army in December 1978. He previously served as Chief of the Army Staff from January 2017 to December 2019.
( With inputs from ANI )
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