Coonoor Chopper Crash: The 11 Bravehearts Who Were Martyred Along with CDS Bipin Rawat

Coonoor Chopper Crash: Among the 13 deceased, so far the military doctors have been able to identify the mortal remains of General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, and Brig L.S. Lidder, while they are carrying out DNA tests to identify the others.

Chennai: In one of the biggest air accidents in India in decades involving senior military officers, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, Brigadier Lakhwinder Singh Lidder, and 10 other armed forces personnel were killed in the ill-fated Mi-17V5 helicopter crash near Tamil Nadu’s Coonoor on Wednesday (December 8). The officials who lost their lives in the military chopper crash included seven Indian Army officers and jawans and four Indian Air Force officers. Among the 13 deceased, so far the military doctors have been able to identify the mortal remains of General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, and Brig L.S. Lidder, while they are carrying out DNA tests to identify the others. The bodies of other officials will be kept at the mortuary at the Army Base Hospital till they are identified.

Here’s a look at the Bravehearts who were martyred in the Mi-17V5 Helicopter crash:

Brigadier Lakhwinder Singh Lidder

Commissioned to Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in December 1990. Was DA to CDS since Jan 2021. Approved for promotion as Major General, he was due to take over a Division. Commanded Brigade in the Northern Borders. Was instructor at NDA and Director at Military Operations Directorate.

Lt Col Harjinder Singh

2/11 Gorkha Rifles; Commissioned in September 2001 from OTA, Chennai. He was an instructor at IMA, Dehradun. Served in the Northeast and J&K. Also, in Sikkim Scouts. Was a Staff Officer in a Corps HQ.

Lance Naik B Sai Teja

11 Para (SF). Enrolled in June 2013, he served in super high altitudes in Arunachal Pradesh along the border with China. Part of counter-terrorist operations in Manipur and Nagaland. Mixed martial arts, unarmed combat, and communications and electronic warfare expert.

Lance Naik Vivek Kumar

1 Para (SF). Enrolled in December 2012, he served in South and North Kashmir, and also near the India-China border ahead of Spiti. Specialist in combat freefall, communications expert and excellent in unarmed combat.

Lance Naik Jitender Kumar

3 Para (SF). Enrolled in March 2011, he served in the Desert Sector along the Indo-Pak border, on the India-China border near Pithoragarh, and in J&K. Expert sniper and specialist in communications.

Naik Gursevak Singh

9 Para (SF). Enrolled in March 2004, he served in Ladakh, Poonch-Rajouri, South and North Kashmir. A demolition specialist, he was an expert in unarmed combat and close-quarter battle.

Havildar Satpal Rai

5/11 Gorkha Rifles. Enrolled in March 2002, he served in Siachen, Naushera, Nagaland and Manipur. His son is serving in the same unit as his father since last one year.

Indian Air Force

Wg Cdr P.S. Chauhan

Commissioned in the IAF in June 2002 as a helicopter pilot. Belonged to Agra.

Sqn Ldr Kuldeep

Commissioned in the IAF in June 2015 as a helicopter pilot. Belonged to Ghardana Khurd, Rajasthan.

JWO R.P. Das

Enrolled in the IAF in June 2006, he was a flight engineer who belonged to Angul, Odisha.

JWO A. Pradeep

Enrolled in Jan 2004, he was a flight gunner who belonged to Thrissur, Kerala.