Centre announces Padma Vibhushan for Late General Rawat

Dehradun: On the eve of Republic Day, the central government announced to confer the country's first chief of defence staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat, with Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award, posthumously.

General Rawat

, who hailed from Saina village in

Uttarakhand

's Pauri district, and her wife died in a chopper crash last year. Each year, he would come to his native village to pay obeisance to the local deity. The former CDS was also getting his village house constructed as he had planned to spend some time there post his retirement.Besides General Rawat, three other Uttarakhand residents, including Madhuri Barthwal, Basanti Devi and Vandana Kataria, have been named for Padma Shri.Last year, hockey player Vandana Kataria earned national recognition after becoming the first Indian woman player to score a hat-trick in an Olympic game. Last year, Uttarakhand chief minister

Pushkar Singh

Dhami had conferred Katariya with the Tilu Rauteli award.

Kataria

, who hails from Haridwar district, is also the brand ambassador for the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhado campaign of hill state.