NEW DELHI: General Bipin Rawat passed away in a helicopter crash nine months ago. The government on Wednesday named Lt. Gen. Anil Chauhan (Retd) as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the country's top military officer.

Lt. Gen. Chauhan had retired as Eastern Command Chief in May 2021. He has had a wide experience in operations carried out in Jammu and Kashmir and North-East

General Bipin Rawat, who had been India's first Chief of Defence Staff, and his wife were killed in December after a military chopper crashed in Tamil Nadu. In that crash 13 people were killed, last year. 

General Bipin Rawat (63), took charge as India's first Chief of Defence Staff in January 2020. This position was created to integrate the three services — Army,  Navy and Air Force.

The Chief of Defence Staff is the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. The Chief of Defence Staff also has to be the main military advisor to the Defence Minister other then imparting impartial advice to political leaders.