Tearful uncle recalls General Rawat’s last visit to native village

General Bipin Rawat had last visited his native village here in 2018 and had plans to build a house there after his retirement, his uncle recalled, hours after a helicopter crash killed India’s first Chief of Defence Staff near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.

His uncle Bharat Singh Rawat (70) had gone to Kotdwar for some work but returned home as soon as he heard about the accident.

It is only the general’s family that lives at Saina village of Dwarikhal block.

The general’s uncle said people from nearby villages offered condolences to the family with tears in their eyes.

He said Bipin Rawat had offered prayers to their “kuldevata” during his last visit to the village in 2018.

He left on the same day and had said he would build a house in the village after his retirement, the general’s uncle said.

Bharat Singh Rawat said the general was attached to his village and had told people that he would do something for the area after retirement as he was pained at migration from here.

He used to talk over the phone to him and had plans to visit the village in April next year, the general’s uncle said wiping his tears, adding that little did he know that his nephew’s wish would remain unfulfilled.