Bharat Mata ki Jai

General Bipin Rawat, the first Chief of Defence Services ( CDS), his wife and 11 other officers of Indian Army and Airforce that formed the entourage of the CDS, died under the most unfortunate circumstances when their helicopter crashed in the hills of Nilgiri, barely ten kilometers away from their destination , Wellington.

The tragedy has plunged the nation into pall of gloom for, this is not the way for the country’s top general, his wife and 11 other brave hearts to die. General Rawat, coming from a family that has served this nation for generations with distinction, was a complete soldier – brave, bold, firm, fearless and strategist. He was also a strong advocate of “ Made in India” and was doing a pioneering job in integrating the three arms of defence – Army, Airforce and Navy – that have hitherto operated as separate outfits. The nation will always remain indebted to his tremendous contribution in making the nation and its armed forces stronger than ever!

The black box of the crashed helicopter has been found and the inquiry is underway to establish the cause of this tragedy. But let this martyrdom of India’s top general, his wife and eleven other of his entourage not go futile and the best obituary we can pay to our martyrs is to take an oath in the name of our motherland to stand united and oppose all divisive forces – external and internal – that are trying to weaken the very foundation on which this great country is built!

Salute to General Rawat and 11 other martyrs and obeisance to Mrs Rawat! Long live India and the defence forces of this country! Bharat Mata ki Jai!