Residents of Bhamorikhal, the native village of CDS General Bipin Rawat in Pauri Garhwal district, mourned his demise in a chopper crash on Wednesday.
Speaking to ANI, uncle of General Rawat, Bharat Singh Rawat said that the General had great affection for his family and this place.
"It is a painful incident. He had great affection for this place. He used to visit here during childhood and also after he became General in the Army. He had said he would visit again. It is a great loss not just for us as a family but also for the whole nation," he said.
Bharat Singh Rawat toldthat he would visit Gen Rawat's residence in New Delhi.
Earlier on Thursday, the mortal remains of those killed in the military chopper crash on Wednesday were brought to Madras Regimental Centre from Military Hospital, Wellington in Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu.
The accident claimed the lives of 13 people including General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat.
General Rawat was travelling from Sulur to Wellington when his helicopter crashed near Coonoor.General Rawat, India's first CDS, was on a visit to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course when his chopper crashed.
The Indian Air Force has ordered an inquiry into the accident.
General Rawat was appointed as India's first Chief of Defense Staff on December 31, 2019. He previously served as Chief of the Army Staff from January 2017 to December 2019. He was commissioned into the Indian Army in December 1978.
( With inputs from ANI )
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