Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister-cum-Leader of House Naveen Patnaik today moved a Condolence Motion in the Odisha Legislative Assembly in the wake of the tragic helicopter crash in Coonoor in Tamil Nadu yesterday.
“With profound grief, I rise to inform the August House of the sudden and untimely demise of General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika ji, and 11 other armed forces personnel in a tragic helicopter crash in the 8th of December, 2021 in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu,” said Patnaik.
General Bipin Rawat was born in Pauri, present-day Uttarakhand, on the 16th of March 1958. He was commissioned into the 5th Battalion of the 11th Gorkha Rifles on the 16th of December 1978 and went on to become the 26th Chief of the Indian Army and later served as the first Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces, said the Chief Minister.
“He had an extremely distinguished career of over four decades of selfless service marked by exceptional gallantry. He was conferred with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, and many prestigious awards. He expired on the 8th December 2021 at the age of 63,” the Chief Minister added.
Patnaik termed the sad demise of General Rawat and all 11 other armed personnel as an irreparable loss to the nation. He said that their outstanding service to our nation will always be remembered. He requested Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro to kindly let the House pay sincere condolences to the members of the bereaved families.
Congress legislators and Opposition chief whip extend support to the motion and the house was adjourned.
The House observed a two-minute silence in memory of the departed souls.
Later, Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro adjourned the House till 4.00 pm declaring that no proceeding will be carried out in the first half of the business day today.
Rawat was travelling to the Defence Staff College in Wellington from the Indian Air Force base in Sulur near Coimbatore when the Mi-17V5 helicopter of the Indian Air Force crashed near Coonoor around noon. The chopper crashed just minutes before reaching its destination.
