Nation will always be grateful to you

New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and three service chiefs paid tributes to the late Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and 12 others -- including his wife Madhulika and 11 armed forces personnel -- who lost their lives in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor on Wednesday.

The cremation of General Bipin Rawat and his wife will be held in Delhi Cantonment area on December 10. Mortal remains of the CDS and others were brought to Palam Airbase in Delhi earlier from Sulur. The PM paid floral tributes to General Rawat and others at a special ceremony held at the airbase. Before this Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met families of General Rawat and other armed forces personnel at the air base. Union minister of state for defence Ajay Bhatt and national security advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval will also pay their last respect to the CDS and others in a while.