Vikrant Shekhawat : Dec 09, 2021, 03:17 PM
Nilgiris: The vehicle carrying mortal remains of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife and others, who died in the IAF chopper crash, left for Sulur airbase from Madras Regimental Centre in Tamil Nadu on Thursday.From Sulur airbase, the mortal remains will be taken to Delhi by an IAF plane.The mortal remains were brought to the Madras Regimental Centre where people paid floral tribute to General Rawat and other personnel. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin was amongst the attendees."With a heavy heart, I paid my salutes and last respects, on behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu, to the mortal remains of our CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat and other selfless defence personnel who lost their lives in the Helicopter Crash, while in service of the nation," Stalin tweeted.Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan also paid floral tribute to General Rawat and others at Madras Regimental Centre.The mortal remains of those killed in the IAF helicopter crash on Wednesday were brought to Madras Regimental Centre today from Military Hospital in Wellington.The accident claimed the lives of 13 people. However, IAF Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor of the crash, is on life support in Military Hospital at Wellington.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 Defence 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.