CDS Gen Bipin Rawat conferred Padma Vibhushan posthumously, daughters recieve

New Delhi: General Bipin Rawat, the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) who died in an IAF helicopter crash in December last year, was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan award on Monday.

The award was presented by President Ram Nath Kovind to his daughters Kritika and Tarini.

General Bipin Rawat died in a helicopter crash in December last year on his way to Tamil Nadu’s Coonoor. His wife Madhulika Rawat and 12 other defence force personnel had also died in the unfortunate accident.

Padma Awards, which is one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.

The Awards are given in various disciplines/ fields of activities, viz. art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc.

'Padma Vibhusha, which was presented to Gen Rawat today is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; 'Padma Bhushan' for distinguished service of high order and 'Padma Shri' for distinguished service in any field. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.

Meanwhile, those who were conferred with the Padma Bhushan awards include senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, Punjabi singer Gurmeet Bawa (posthumously), Tata Sons` N. Chandrashekharan while Najma Akhtar, Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia was among those who were awarded Padma Shri.