Bipin Rawat
Bipin Rawat बिपिन रावत | |
|---|---|
| Native name | बिपिन रावत |
| Born | Pauri Garhwal district, Uttarakhand[1] |
| Allegiance |  India |
| Service/ |  Indian Army |
| Years of service | 16 December 1978 – present [2] |
| Rank |  General |
| Unit | 5/11 Gorkha Rifles[3] |
| Commands | Chief of Army Staff Vice Chief of Army Staff  Southern Army III Corps MONUSCO 19 Infantry Division (Uri) 5 Sector Rashtriya Rifles (Sopore) 5/11 Gorkha Rifles, Eastern Sector |
| Awards |  Uttam Yudh Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Yudh Seva Medal Sena Medal Vishisht Seva Medal |
General Bipin Rawat, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM is the 27th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army and assumed office on 31 December 2016. He assumed the post after General Dalbir Singh was relinquished from the appointment.[4][5][6][7]
Early life and education
Rawat hails from Pauri Garhwal district in Uttarakhand and was born in a family[8] which is serving army since generations, His father was Lieutenant General Lachu Singh Rawat.[9] He attended Cambrian Hall boarding school, Dehradun; St Edward’s School, Shimla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, where he was awarded the 'Sword of Honour'. He is also a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and the Higher Command Course at Fort Leavenworth, USA.[10][11][12] He has a MPhil in Defence Studies from Madras University, a Diploma in Management and another in Computer Studies. In 2011, he was awarded a Doctorate of Philosophy by Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut for his research on military-media strategic studies.[13][7]
Career
Rawat was commissioned into the 5th Battalion of 11 Gorkha Rifles on 16 December 1978, the same unit as his father. He has vast experience in high altitude warfare and ten years of counter insurgency operations.[12] He has commanded a company at Uri, an infantry battalion in the Eastern sector along the Line of Actual Control at Kibithu, 5 Sector of Rashtriya Rifles (Sopore) as brigade commander, 19 Infantry Division (Uri), III Corps(Dimapur) and GOC-C Southern Command (Pune). He has also held staff assignments which include an instructional tenure at Indian Military Academy, Dehradun; General Staff Officer Grade 2 at the Military Operations Directorate; logistics staff officer of a RAPID in central India; Colonel Military Secretary and Deputy Military Secretary in the Military Secretary’s Branch and Senior Instructor in the Junior Command Wing. He has also commanded MONUSCO (a Multinational Brigade in a Chapter VII mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo) where he was twice awarded the Force Commander’s Commendation. During hist career span of 37 years, he has been awarded for gallantry and distinguished service with the UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, COAS Commendation on two occasions and the Army Commander’s Commendation.[10][14][15][16][17]
He assumed the post of General Office Commanding in Chief, Southern Command on 1 January 2016 and assumed the post of Vice Chief of Army Staff on 1 September 2016. On 17 December 2016, the Government of India designated him as the 27th Chief of Indian Army Staff, superseding two more senior Lt. Generals, Praveen Bakshi and P M Hariz.[18]
1987 Sino-Indian skirmish
During the 1986 face off in the Sumdorong Chu valley, his battalion was deployed against the Chinese PLA.[19]
UN Mission in Congo
While commanding MOUNSCO (a Multinational Brigade in a Chapter VII mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo), he had a truly outstanding tour. Within two weeks of deployment in the DRC, the Brigade faced a major offensive in the East which threatened not only the regional capital of North Kivu, Goma, but stability across the country as a whole. The situation demanded a rapid response and North Kivu Brigade was reinforced, where it was responsible for over 7,000 men and women representing nearly half of the total MOUNSCO Force. Whilst simultaneously engaged in offensive kinetic operations against the CNDP and other armed groups, Rawat (then Brigadier) carried out tactical support to the Congolese Army (FARDC), sensitization programmes with the local population and detailed coordination to ensure that all were informed about the situation and worked together in prosecuting operations whilst trying to protect the vulnerable population. This hectic period of operational tempo lasted a full four months and during this time Rawat, his headquarters and his international Brigade, were tested to the full, across the operational spectrum. His personal leadership, courage and experience were pivotal to the success that the Brigade achieved. Goma never fell, the East stabilized and the main armed group was motivated to the negotiating table and has since been integrated into the FARDC. He was also tasked to present the Revised Charter of Peace Enforcement to the Special Representatives of the Secretary General and Force Commanders of all the UN missions in a special conference at Wilton Park, London on 16 May 2009.[10][11][20]
2015 counter-insurgency operation in Myanmar
In June 2015, eighteen Indian soldiers lost their lives after being ambushed by terrorists belonging to the Christian-extremist National Socialist Council of Nagaland (specifically, its "NSCN-K" faction) in Manipur. In response, the Indian Army responded with cross-border strikes by 21 Para (Special Forces) under the operational control of the Dimapur-based III Corps which was then headed by Rawat.[12][21]
Honours and decorations
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
References
- ^ "Top positions in country's security establishments helmed by men from Uttarakhand - Times of India". Retrieved 1 January 2017.
- ^ "Lt Gen Bipin Rawat takes over as new Army Commander". 2 January 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
- ^ Peri, Dinakar. "In surprise move, Lt. Gen. Bipin Rawat appointed next Army Chief". Retrieved 1 January 2017.
- ^ Gupta, Manas Sen (2016-12-16). "Who Will Succeed General Dalbir Singh As The Next Indian Army Chief?". TopYaps. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
- ^ Gautam Sharma (1988). The path of glory: exploits of the 11 Gorkha Rifles. Allied Publishers.
- ^ "Press Information Bureau". Retrieved 2016-12-21.
- ^ a b "GENERAL BIPIN RAWAT takes over as the 27th COAS of the INDIAN ARMY". pib.nic.in. Retrieved 2016-12-31.
- ^ "Gen Bipin Rawat known for operational skills and strategic expertise". Retrieved 1 January 2017.
- ^ "Top positions in country's security establishments helmed by men from Uttarakhand - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2016-12-19.
- ^ a b c "Lt Gen Bipin Rawat takes over as new Army Commander". The Indian Express. 2016-01-02. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
- ^ a b Goma, By David Blair in. "UN commander says hands are tied in Congo". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
- ^ a b c "Lt General Bipin Rawat: Master of surgical strikes - The Economic Times". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2016-12-19.
- ^ "Chief-designate for peace on border: 'Some disputes not for Army to settle'". The Indian Express. 2016-12-19. Retrieved 2016-12-19.
- ^ "Superseding two senior Lt Gens, Bipin Rawat is new Army Chief; Dhanoa to head Air Force". The Indian Express. 2016-12-18. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
- ^ "Lt Gen Bipin Rawat appointed new Army chief, Air Marshal BS Dhanoa as new Air Force chief". Retrieved 2016-12-18.
- ^ "Eight things you need to know about new army chief Bipin Rawat". Hindustantimes. 2016-12-17. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
- ^ "New Army Chief Has What the Govt Wants: Nuts-and-Bolts Experience". The Quint. Retrieved 2016-12-19.
- ^ Jatinder, Kaur. "India Army Gets China Border Experienced General". No. online. ABC Live. ABC Live. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
- ^ "Why General Rawat made the cut which General Bakshi failed to". Retrieved 2016-12-18.
- ^ "How Lt Gen Rawat changed the face of UN peacekeeping in conflict-hit Congo". http://www.hindustantimes.com/. 2016-12-18. Retrieved 2016-12-19.
{{cite news}}: External link in|newspaper= - ^ Datta, Saikat. "Rawat's appointment as Army chief is in line with Modi's aggressive foreign policy". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2016-12-19.
| Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army (1947–1948) |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Chief of the Army Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Indian Army (1948–1955) | ||
| Chief of the Army Staff (1955–present) |
| |
(**Seconded from the British Army) | ||