New Delhi

On the eve of the 64th birthday of late Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, the Indian Army has dedicated a Chair of Excellence in his memory at the United Service Institution of India (USI).

The formal announcement was made by General MM Naravane, Chief of Army Staff and Officiating Chairman, COSC, at a ceremony organized at the South Block on 15 March 2022, the Defence Ministry said.

Lieutenant General Manoj Pande, the VCOAS, Air Marshal Sandeep Singh, VCAS, Vice Admiral SN Ghormade, VCNS, Air Marshal BR Krishna, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) and Lt Gen SK Sharma, DCOAS (Strat) also attended the event.

A cheque of Rs 5 lakhs was handed over to Major General BK Sharma (Retd), Director, USI which will be paid as honorarium to the nominated Chair of Excellence.

Late General Bipin Rawat who served as India’s first CDS as well as the 27th Chief of the Indian Army was an outstanding professional and was in the midst of steering one of the most radical transformations of the Indian military.

General Bipin Rawat Memorial Chair of Excellence will focus on the field of Jointness and Integration. The Chair of Excellence is a befitting tribute to the astute leadership and professionalism of the General. General Naravane recounted that General Rawat was passionate about strategic thoughts and invested considerable time and energy in the activities of various Think Tanks and therefore, his 65th birthday provided an opportune moment to reinforce the Services’ bond with their intellectual institutions. The Chair will be open to Veterans of three Services and civilians having expertise in the field of national security.