REMEMBERING MY DEAR FRIEND, LATE GENERAL BIPIN RAWAT
Today is an extremely sad day for me and my wife on the tragic demise of our dear friends General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika.
I had known Bipin Rawat as a cadet from my Academy days at IMA Dehradun. Later on, in life and military service we kept meeting and strengthening our friendship.
The memories are coming to me like a flash of our stay together in the same bachelor’s accommodation at Amritsar in 1982 and then doing the same BSW course at Mhow. I was newly married and he was engaged and practically he would be routinely coming over for dinner to our house. we did our Junior command course together and though one had very little time outside studies yet we would go to Mhow and Indore market together.
we again met at wellington when we both were doing the same DSSC Couse at Wellington in 1990 – 91 and as luck would have it we were in the same syndicate for three tutorials. Our daughters who were of the same age played together and we had many memorable outings to Coonoor, Pykara Lake, and Ooty together.
We were commanding our Battalions at the same time though in different sectors of the country but used to exchange notes on regular basis. We received our first military awards ( Sena Medal for me and VSM for Bipin) together at Fort William, Kolkata. We fondly used to recollect the great dinners and evenings our families had enjoyed at Kolkata.
we remained in touch throughout and Kept meeting. I clearly recollect the very long conversation that I had with him when he survived the Helicopter crash in North East when he was the General officer commanding 3 Corps.
our last meeting was in 2020 itself when he had come to Dehradun for an official function. Bipin was an extremely intelligent, dedicated, and devoted soldier who had done extremely well professionally and socially. He was a very good human being with very forthright views and clear visions for the defense forces of the country. In his death, the nation has lost a great soldier and General. I have lost a dear friend. We pray to God to grant Sadgati to the noble souls of Bipin and Madhulika Rawat and provide strength to the family to bear this unimaginable loss.
DEAR BIPIN YOUR SERVICES AND CONTRIBUTION TO THE ARMY AND NATION WILL BE REMEMBERED ALWAYS.
At Personal level I will miss you.
In grief
Col Lalit and Neeta Chamola.