The straight-talking CDS who cared

The helicopter crash that tragically cut short the lives of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, and 12 others was a professional and personal blow. I have had decades of close association with General Rawat and my tribute to him is straight from the heart. What is especially tragic about the death of India’s first CDS is that General Rawat had earlier in his career survived a helicopter crash. It was 2015, and he was a Corps Commander in the Northeast. The chopper he was flying in crashed and he survived. But, typically, he was unflappable, and flew on in a different chopper after a couple of hours. When I had learnt of this, I was among the first ones to call Madhulika, his wife, who was also a good friend, and who also died in Wednesday’s crash. My heart goes out to General Rawat’s family, his two daughters have lost both parents, a terrible blow at any stage of life. Also tragic is that the journey General Rawat took is a standard one for many senior officers. I have been to the Defence Services Staff College at Wellington, to give a talk as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff. It is SOP to land at the Air Force Base in Sulur, beyond which one proceeds on helicopter because of the hilly terrain. What happened on Wednesday will be established in the inquiry. Brilliant, straight-talking & approachable Let me assess General Rawat as a soldier and a man. He was a diehard infantry officer; a thorough professional and a highly competent leader. He passed out first in the order of merit in the Indian Military Academy and was awarded the sword of honour. Thereafter, his performance on all professional courses was outstanding, including in courses abroad. He served in all operational areas of the country, from the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir, to the Line of Actual Control in the Northeast, and in counterinsurgency environments. His merit was one standout facet of his character, the other was his forthrightness. He was, in fact, sometimes blunt. Even if he was talking to someone close to him, he spoke straight. Being honest mattered to him more than courting popularity. He was also someone you could talk frankly with. When he was Army Chief, I was the Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff. We worked very closely, especially on integration of the forces. Since he was a good friend, it was very easy to have a candid exchange of ideas on this sensitive topic, and we had our share of differences. Yet we continued to keep in touch on various issues even after my retirement. The right man for the top job General Rawat was a soldier-statesman. He could strike up a rapport with the higher leadership, and on the other hand, be very approachable to the last soldier. He would go to great lengths to ensure the welfare of his juniors, his jawans, and anybody who came in contact with him. This is a rare quality. He was always destined for high places and it was no surprise he became the Army Chief. He was a very good Chief, and took a strong stand against the Chinese advance in Doklam in 2017. He was nominated by the government to be the first CDS on December 30, 2019, with a focussed mandate of integration of Army, Navy and Air Force. This is a very challenging task, given that there is a lot of friction between forces in several areas. General Rawat set about his task by setting up the Department of Military Affairs and started the process of integration with a view to forming integrated theatre commands by the end of three years. This is a tough job, and the armed forces have lost the general who was on top of the job. General Rawat’s unfinished task Since General Rawat was appointed the CDS two years ago, the world has undergone a sea-change – the pandemic, ongoing integration of forces, the return of Taliban in Afghanistan, the LAC standoff with China’s PLA. He had his hands full. The next CDS will have to keep the ball rolling on the integration of forces. It’s been announced that the first two integrated commands, the Air Defence command and the maritime command will materialise soon. The other legacy of General Rawat that must be carried on is his emphasis on atmanirbharta in terms of weapons and equipment. I remember when I asked General Rawat how he felt as India’s first CDS, he joked he will have to stay fit for another three years. There was just a year left in the tenure of this fit and fine soldier. His death is truly tragic. Lt General Dua is a former Corps Commander in Kashmir, he retired as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff