Rawat: The 1971 war veteran dedicates the airdrop to CDS Bipin Rawat and 12 others killed in the heli crash. India News – Times of India

LUCKNOW: Four war veterans of the Bangladesh Liberation War, including the country’s first chief instructor skydiving for special forces, on Saturday conducted a daredevil airdrop to pay tribute to Chief of Defense Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika. Treatment and 11 others who were killed in a helicopter crash in the Nilgiri hills earlier this week.
The contingent of paratroopers was led by Lieutenant General Yogendra Dimri, AVSM, VSM, GOC-in-C Central Command. The veterans who participated in the airdrop included lieutenants general (Retd.) Ranjan Goswami PVSM, who, at the age of 73, made a battle-free fall from a height of 8000 feet along with serving young paratroopers, while Major Jane (Retd) Shiv Jaswal AVSM (73), Col (Retd) Thomas Kochappan (78) and Col (Retd) Pramod Tembe did a static line jump from 3000-4000 feet.

Nila Dungri and helmet Major General Shiv Jaswal in the middle, Colonel Pramod Tembe to his right and Colonel Thomas Kochappan to his right.

Speaking to TOI, former Chief Instructor of Special Forces Lt Gen Goswami said, “As a paratrooper there was no other appropriate way to pay respect and tribute to CDS Bipin Rawat, his wife and other 11 soldiers who were in the helicopter crash. were killed.”
“I was a brigadier when I met General Rawat, he was a very quick, humble, determined officer of the colonel” Post— As a character he was very unique and apt to be the first CDS,” said Septugenerian, who commanded the engineering battalion The Sappers.

Paratroopers of serving and ex-servicemen airdrop in Agra on 11th December.

Goswami was the captain of the Para Field Company, which along with other veterans participated in the Bangladesh Liberation War in the eastern and western regions.
Major General (Retd) Shiv Jaswal, who covered a distance of over 600 km from Gorakhpur to Agra for the airdrop, said, “I was part of the ground force and our job was to capture various enemy positions in the eastern sectors, including Jasore. was also involved mangura and Pungali Bridge. Since we were an engineer brigade we also took training Mukti Bahini How to use explosives and ambush techniques.”

Lt Gen (Retd) Ranjan Goswami PVSM, who is with the service of … Young Paratroopers.

“Today’s jump was to remember the martyred soldiers and CDS Rawat. It brought the same energy that I felt 50 years ago when I was a young captain while participating in the liberation of Bangladesh,” he said.
Similarly, Col (Retd) Thomas Kochappan (78), the eldest of all the four experienced paratroopers from Secunderabad, said, “We lost at least three paratrooper officers and a dozen others in the liberation of Bangladesh. Our commanding officer Col RP Singh was like a father figure to me. He took three bullets before killing two Pakistanis, while Captain Ramdas charged his weapon inside a bunker and killed the Razakars, before being wounded. ,
“As a paratrooper who fought alongside martyr heroes of Bangladesh liberation, today’s air jump was to remember CDS Bipin Rawat and others who lost in the line of duty,” he said.
According to the Indian Army, fifty years ago on December 11, 1971, a successful airdrop of the 2nd Parachute Battalion of the Indian Army was carried out at Tangail.
The artillery battery of 17 Parachute Field Regiment, led by Lt Col Kulwant Singh Pannu, platoon of 411 (Independent) Parachute Field Company, along with medical contingent, surgical team and other administrative troops of Shatrujit Brigade was tasked to cut the battalion group. Withdrawal of Pakistani troops from the north towards Dhaka.
Saturday’s airdrop with veterans was dedicated to our first CDS General Bipin Rawat, Madhulika Rawat and the soldiers and air warriors who lost their lives in the line of duty on 8th December.
General Bipin Rawat envisioned integration and joint skill among the services to touch the highest standards of execution. The parachute jump today was marked by precise coordination between the Army and the Air Force in the best spirit of joint manship.

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