Coonoor: Locals in Nanjappa Chatram village in Coonoor have asked President Ram Nath Kovind that a memorial square be built in the village in honor of BDS Bipin Rawat and his wife along with 11 others who died in a helicopter crash there on December 8.
Earlier the Indian Air Force thanked the locals and police officials for their assistance in search and rescue operations following the crash.
Earlier, local activists and social workers of Coonoor in Tamil Nadu have demanded that the Kattery Horticulture Park be named after General Bipin Rawat, the country's first Chief of Defence Staff, who was killed in the MI 17 V5 Chopper crash along with his wife and 11 others.
M. Selvamurugan of Nilgiris Heritage Protection site told media, "If the Government of Tamil Nadu renames the Kattery Horticulture Park in the name of General Bipin Rawat, it will be a fitting tribute to the brave soldier and his team, who died in the chopper crash. Their memories will always be an inspiration for the future generations and naming the park after the late General will elevate the status of the area."
The Kattery Horticulture park is located near Coonoor in Ooty- Mettupalayam national highway, and Nilgiris and Ooty are popular tourist destinations. T.A. Jabarathinam, of the Citizens Forum of Coonoor while speaking to media said, "The Nilgiris, Coonoor and Ooty are places were tourists frequent, and renaming the Kattery Park after the late General Bipin Rawat will bring in memories of the General and other brave soldiers who died in the chopper crash. It will also kindle the spirit of nationalism among the children who will frequent these areas as part of their school trips."
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He also said that the death of General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, and 11 other soldiers "were taken emotionally by the people of the country and local people were also devastated by the tragedy of such massive implications." Jabarathinam said, "More than this, the Tamil Nadu government has not named any popular project sites or tourist places in Nilgiris after defence personnel over several years. Field Marshall lived in Coonoor and died here, but only the Wellington Cantonment has a board named after him and not by Nilgiris administration."
K. Natarajan, founder of Heritage Steam Chariot Trust also is a votary for renaming the Kattery Horticulture park after General Bipin Rawat. He also said that the statues of the late General and all the soldiers killed in the chopper crash should be installed at Kattery Park. However, Nilgiris District Collector S.P. Amrith said that so far he had not received any request from any individual or organisation to rename the Kattery Park after General Bipin Rawat.
(With agency inputs)
