CDS Bipin Rawat Funeral Highlights: India's first Chief of Defence Staff was cremated today. (File)
Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat who was killed along with his wife and 11 armed forces personnel in a helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday was cremated with full military honours in Delhi today.
Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were among several leaders to lay wreaths and pay respect to Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat at their official residence in Delhi this morning before cremation.
The funeral of Brigadier Lakhwinder Singh Lidder, defence assistant to General Rawat and another victim of the chopper crash, was held at Delhi Cantonment earlier in the day.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday night led tributes to all those who were killed in the chopper crash.
The Mi-17V5 Air Force chopper -- described as "the workhorse of the Air Force" and widely seen as a stable aircraft -- crashed after it took off from Sulur.
Here are the Highlights from General Bipin Rawat's Funeral:
Just In| General Bipin Rawat cremated with full military honours
CDS General Bipin Rawat laid to final rest with full military honours.
Daughters of CDS General Bipin Rawat and Madhulika Rawat - Kritika and Tarini - pay tribute to their parents. Other members of the family also join them in paying last respects.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal pay tribute to CDS General Bipin Rawat.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pays tribute to CDS General Bipin Rawat.
DRDO chief Dr G Satheesh Reddy pays tribute to CDS General Bipin Rawat
Defence Attaches of different nations pay tribute to CDS General Bipin Rawat
Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France to India and Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner to India pay tribute to CDS General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat.
The mortal remains of CDS General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat brought to Brar Square crematorium, Delhi Cantonment.
CDS Bipin Rawat Funeral Live Updates: "He was a pioneer", says British High Commissioner Alex Ellis"It's incredibly sad. He was a pioneer as he started the joint defence approach which we follow in the UK. He led that approach in India. It's very sad for India to lose a great leader, a soldier and a thoroughly nice man," says British High Commissioner Alex Ellis.
"He was somebody who invested a lot in improving the links between the UK and India in the area of defence. So, it's a great loss. We remember him, his wife & all others who died in the crash, including many close friends of British High Commission," he told news agency ANI.
General Bipin Rawat's Daughters, Grandchild Pay TributeDaughters of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, Kritika and Tarini, paid floral tributes to their parents in the national capital. The grandchild of the CDS also paid final respect to grandparents.
Read here. Senior military officials from neighbouring countries to attend General Bipin Rawat's funeralSenior military commanders including Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Sri Lanka Army Gen Shavendra Silva, Deputy Chief Operations Officer of Royal Bhutan Army Brig Dorji Rinchenn and other officials from Nepal and Bangladesh arrived in Delhi to attend the funeral of General Bipin Rawat.
List of officials from neighbouring countries attending the cremation:
Sri Lanka
- Gen Shavendra Silva, Chief of Def Staff and Commander of the Sri Lanka Army.
- Admiral Ravindra Chandrasiri Wijegunaratne (Retd), Former Chief of Defence Staff (his course mate at National Defence College and a dear friend)
Bhutan
Brig Dorji Rinchen, Deputy Chief Operations Officer, Royal Bhutan Army
Nepal
Suprobal Janasewashree Lt Gen Bal Krishna Karki, Chief of General Staff (equivalent to Vice Chief of Army Staff), Nepali Army
Bangladesh
Lt Gen Waker-UZ-Zaman, Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division, Bangladesh
Bipin Rawat Cremation News Updates: Leaders pay respect to General Bipin RawatUttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad and British Ambassador to India Alexander Ellis was among the other leaders who paid their last respects to Gen Rawat and his wife.
Former Defence Minister AK Antony, DMK leader Kanimozhi, Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar, BJP leader Baijayant Jay Panda, Delhi LG Anil Baijal, Minister of State Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale, also paid their respects.
"It's a terrible and an irreparable loss to the country at a crucial time,"
Mr Antony said.
"It is a loss to the nation, he was a pride of the nation," Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said after paying tributes.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also laid wreaths and paid respect to General Rawat and his wife.
Military Funeral Of General Bipin Rawat:- Gen Bipin Rawat's remains have been laid in state at 3 Kamraj Marg from till 1pm to enable people to pay homage.
- 12 officers (from Army, Navy and Air Force) of the rank of Brigadier and equivalent are on duty to maintain continuous vigil over the mortal remains.
- Six officers (two each from Army, Navy & Air Force) of the rank of Lieutenant General equivalent will be the Pall (National Flag) bearers
- Wreaths are being laid by visiting dignitaries and will also be laid at Brar Square Cremation Ground.
- Ceremonial battery of 2233 Field Regiment is providing gun carriage.
- 99 all ranks from the Army, Navy and Air force and 33 members of the triservices band will form the front escort while 99 all ranks from the three services will act as the Rear Escort.
- A total of 800 service personnel will be in attendance for the military funeral of the CDS.
- The CDS is being accorded a 17 gun salute, as per laid down protocols. Post the playing of the Last Post and Rouse by tri services buglers, the funeral pyre will be lit by family members.
Home Minister pays tribute to General Bipin RawatHome Minister Amit Shah arrives at General Bipin Rawat's residence to pay his tributes.
Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has also arrived to pay tributes.
The three service chiefs - Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar and IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari pay tribute to Brig LS Lidder at Brar Square at Delhi Cantonment.
National Security Agency Ajit Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Sing also paid tribute to Brigadier LS Lidder at Brar Square.
Funeral to be held at Delhi Cantonment crematoriumThe bodies of General Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat are scheduled to leave for the crematorium at 2 pm. According to Delhi Police, the funeral procession will pass through Rajaji Marg, Teen Murti Chowk, 11 Murti, Sardar Patel Marg and Dhaula Kuan before reaching Delhi Cantonment.
The funeral of Brigadier Lakhwinder Singh Lidder, defence assistant to General Rawat and another victim of the chopper crash, would be held at Delhi Cantonment at 9.15 am today.
Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat's funeral to be held today
The funeral of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat, who were among 13 people killed in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu Wednesday, will be held at Brar Square crematorium in Delhi Cantonment today.