Biography of late CDS General Bipin Rawat to hit stands next month

General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 12 other military personnel were killed in a helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu in December 2021

Book chronicling the life of General Bipin Rawat, India's first Chief of Defence Staff, will release on his 66th birth anniversary on March 16, announced Penguin Random House India (PRHI) on Thursday.

Published under Penguin's 'Veer' imprint, the compelling biography is reconstructed from interviews with General Rawat's closest family members and friends, including his daughters, former chief of army staff General MM Naravane, and wife of Brigadier LS Lidder.

General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 12 other military personnel including Lidder were killed in a helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on December 8, 2021.

The book is written by Rachna Bisht Rawat, author of several books on Indian Armed forces, including Shoot, Dive, Fly: Stories Of Grit And Adventure from the Indian Army (2017) and Kargil: Untold Stories from the War (2019).

"I would like to ask his strongest critics to read this book. They will then realize that he lived his life by the same rules that he applied to others. He might have had his flaws, and who doesn’t, but fact is that he was honest, straight forward, kind, fearless and believed in doing what he felt was right for his country.

"...If this book tells readers at least some stories that they didn’t know, and brings him back to life again, if only for a while, I will be satisfied that my efforts have not gone to waste," the author told PTI.

General Rawat was an alumnus of Charlie Squadron of the 53rd NDA course. He served the nation as the 27th Chief of the Army Staff and subsequently the first Chief of the Defence Staff.

As India's first Chief of Defence Staff, he spearheaded an initiative to bring convergence in the functioning of the Army, the Navy and the Indian Air Force and bolster the country’s overall military prowess.

Who was the General Rawat behind the uniform? What was his childhood like? What drove him to achieve a post that made him the country's foremost military officer? are some of the questions that the book seeks to answer.

"The book, featuring in-depth interviews with his friends, family members, and the people he worked with most closely, is a befitting tribute to the astute leadership and professionalism of one of our greatest Generals ever," said the publishers in a statement.