Rawat was India's longest serving 4-star General, tasked with reshaping forces

Gen Bipin Rawat was India's longest serving four-star General who had been handpicked to reshape the armed forces in the most extensive such exercise since Independence. Known to have a close working relationship with the National Security Advisor, Gen Rawat donned four stars in 2016 when he was appointed as Chief of Army Staff.

Seen as an unlikely candidate for Army chief, Gen Rawat superseded two of his seniors when the government chose him for the position. Serving as the Army chief for three years, the officer was known to be very assertive, taking on Pakistan and China in several public statements. He had strongly made a case for additional funds for the Army in 2018, pointing to the threats posed by an assertive China.

As army chief he was vocal on a number of issues and was the 'chosen one' to make statements on terrorism in Pakistan, the internal threats in Jammu and Kashmir and the border situation with China. Though some of the changes he brought in were not well received by sections of veterans and serving officers, Gen Rawat continued with the task of bringing in reforms - from cutting down officer privileges to changes in the procurement process.


Deemed to retire in 2019, he was given an extension in service after he was chosen as the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of India. His task was to bring in large-scale reforms in senior defence management and warfighting. The primary change was reorganisation of the armed forces into tri services military theatres.

The process, which envisaged five major geographic commands, is currently under way with differences being resolved with the Air Force. Gen Rawat was leading the study group on the new structures, with the process aimed to be ready by the end of next year.

He had heavy responsibilities as the CDS, looking into major decisions such as prioritisation of capital purchases by the armed forces, planning for indigenisation and was in charge of all postings and promotions of senior officers.

Born into a family of military officers, Gen Rawat was a graduate from the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy. His father Lt Gen Lachu Singh Rawat commanded the 5/11 Gorkha Rifles and Gen Rawat too followed in his footsteps.

He served extensively along the Line of Control and in the anti-insurgency operations in Kashmir. He also commanded the 3 Corps in Dimapur, when surgical strikes were carried out along the Myanmar border. He served as the Southern Army Commander and the Vice Chief of Army staff before donning four stars as the Army Chief.