Rajnath Singh unveils Gen Bipin Rawat's statue, calls him a role model

Dehradun (Uttarakhand): Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday unveiled a statue of the country's first Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat at a school in Dehradun, describing him as a person who brought significant reform in the history of the Indian Army.

Singh was addressing students at The Tons Bridge School in Dehradun where he said the appointment of Gen Rawat as CDS was a significant reform in the history of the Indian Army. The creation of this post itself shows the determination of the government towards the empowerment of the forces and their respect.

"We expressed our gratitude to the armed forces by establishing the National War Memorial. We are working continuously to empower our soldiers by giving them modern weapons and providing them best facilities," he said.

He said that civilizations survive only because of the sacrifices of soldiers. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has maintained the dignity of the soldiers and remembers their contribution to the security and safety of the nation. The role of soldiers in the growth of India is very important.

"Schools provide the platform where we can imbibe our role models. And when it comes to role models, who can be a better role model for children than General Bipin Rawat," he said.

"The statue is not just to pay tribute to that person. The present and future generations are also influenced by statues," he added.