By Lt Gen Pradeep Bali (retd)

“Here was a Chief who would not hesitate to call a spade a spade and back the reforms needed for eradicating any wrong practices. While a high sense of probity is expected in any person holding that exalted office, what became starkly clear to all was his zero tolerance of moral or financial turpitude. This went a long way in enhancing the correct character traits expected in the forces.”

Gen Bipin Rawat passed into the annals of history on December 8. As the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and a former Army Chief, he epitomized the change in thinking and structuring of the armed forces which he was spearheading. The deeply saddening demise of the nation’s first CDS is a great tragedy, but it shall not stall the process of modernization and jointness of the three services which he set in motion. Having known the man both personally and professionally, I would like to reflect on his many stellar qualities and the legacy he leaves behind.

Gen Rawat, son of Lt Gen Laxman Singh Rawat, a former Deputy Chief of Army Staff, carved out a brilliant career in uniform, starting out with the Sword of Honour, given to the best all round Gentleman Cadet at the time of commissioning from the Indian Military Academy. Having distinguished himself in all the important courses of training and acquiring educational qualifications up to the doctoral level, Bipin Rawat exhibited his leadership and military mettle while commanding Army formations in some of the most difficult and operationally challenging areas. He also commanded an Indian brigade group in Congo as part of the UN forces, under trying conditions. What made him stand out during these tenures was his uncanny ability to grasp any situation and get on top of it, a remarkable attribute for any leader of men.

Talking about his generalship at higher levels, he was a man who could take the call when required and back his decisions to the hilt. Having commanded a formation directly under him, one can vouch for his unqualified support and decisive commitment, once he was convinced of the correctness of the chosen path. A remarkable attribute was the focused attention with which he would hear any proposal or presentation before giving out his mind in double quick time. Having soldiered in all the tough terrains on our borders, his heart was always with the troops and field commanders in the remotest areas.

Gen Rawat came to the Army HQ as the Vice Chief of the Army in September 2016 and one saw an immediate change in the way that important office functioned. His accessibility for all subordinates and his passionate approach to resolving all nettlesome issues made a huge difference. I was heading the Directorate General of Perspective Planning and distinctly recall his positive interventions with a futuristic vision while finalizing perspective plans. While he had tremendous patience and mostly an affable demeanor, one could not put issues past him without a very well-informed scrutiny.

The defining moment after he took over the mantle of the Army Chief was the customary media interaction at the Manekshaw Auditorium in January 2017. It was a very candid interaction but more than that it became amply clear that here was an Army Chief who was firm in his convictions, would not pull his punches when required and would definitely not shy away from speaking his mind in a forthright and erudite manner. His visionary qualities were always at the fore as he shaped and guided the restructuring and modernization of the Army. Here was also a Chief who would not hesitate to call a spade a spade and back the reforms needed for eradicating any wrong practices that unscrupulous individuals may indulge in. While a high sense of probity is expected in any person holding that exalted office, what became starkly clear to all was his zero tolerance of any form of moral or financial turpitude. This went a long way in enhancing the correct character traits expected in the forces. This may even have made him unpopular with disgruntled elements, both serving and retired, and who would use the anonymity of social media platforms to vent their misplaced ire. However, Rawat was not the man to be affected by such propaganda. Under Gen Rawat’s watch, I was assigned to command the Sikkim-based 33 Corps while the Doklam crisis was festering. True to his style, he was crisp and lucid in telling me: “You will have to mount a running horse.” His unspoken words, conveyed through his body language, were: “You have my confidence.” These were the defining traits which made Gen Rawat not only a soldier’s General but also a commander’s General! It was here that I saw what he was capable of while giving unambiguous directions to field formation commanders and then backing them to the hilt.

The General could browbeat any person with a tirade of searching and pointed questions while discussing important military matters, whether operational or administrative. Once convinced, his decisions would be crystal clear with the organizational interests being at the forefront.

Destiny had more in store for him as he assumed the high office of India’s first CDS. Given his career graph and qualities of head and heart, no one would have been better suited to hold this onerous appointment. Here again, Gen Rawat got to grips with the challenges and tasks ahead of him. His missionary zeal in structuring the thematicization model for the armed forces, was the need of the hour and in the past two years of his helmsmanship of the services, much ground has been covered in this direction. It’s a matter of short time now before the unified tri-services commands of the Army, Navy and the Air Force will be a reality and the legacy of Gen Rawat will live on through them.

(The author is Ex-Commander, Sikkim-based 33 corps)