Editor's Pick: A tragic loss for India and its military

India's first Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, senior Army officers on the CDS' staff and several others perished when the helicopter they were travelling in crashed in the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. Eyewitnesses say that the helicopter was flying low in cloudy conditions and clipped a tree before crashing. Only one of the 14 people on board survived. The CDS and his entourage were travelling to the Wellington Defence Services Staff College in a relatively new and very advanced Russian-made Mi-17 V5 helicopter. While the Air Force has said that it will be probing the cause of the crash, aviation expert Capt A. Ranganathan suggests that if the pilots were flying at low altitudes to keep the terrain in sight in the very cloudy conditions, the downwash from the powerful Mi-17 engines could swirl the tree tops and create optical illusions that confuse them. The loss of the CDS also leaves a vacuum at the top of the Indian military. Gen. Rawat was appointed as the first person in the post in December 2019 with a mandate to reform the military. He was to synergise the workings of the various wings of the military in terms of logistics, communication, and other aspects so that integrated theatre commands could be put in place of the separate service commands that exist now. This process will be hampered with the loss of the man who was the government's choice to execute it.The mystery of a sturdy helicopter crashing, the tragic loss of lives, and its impact on the future of the Indian military are what make this story important. The Hindu Editorials A measured response: On the Omicron threat Diplomatic games: On U.S. boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor's Pick and more. Click here Try out The Hindu's daily news quiz Which verdict laid down guidelines for the use of AFSPA? 1. 1991 Supreme Court judgment 2. 1993 Supreme Court judgment 3. 1998 Supreme Court judgment 4. 1997 Supreme Court judgment To find out the answer and play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 09 DECEMBER 2021 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( A tragic loss for India and its military [A tragic loss for India and its military] India's first Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, senior Army officers on the CDS' staff and several others [perished when the helicopter they were travelling in crashed]( in the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. Eyewitnesses say that the helicopter was flying low in cloudy conditions and clipped a tree before crashing. Only one of the 14 people on board survived. The CDS and his entourage were travelling to the Wellington Defence Services Staff College in a relatively new and very advanced Russian-made Mi-17 V5 helicopter. While the Air Force has said that it will be probing the cause of the crash, [aviation expert Capt A. Ranganathan suggests]( that if the pilots were flying at low altitudes to keep the terrain in sight in the very cloudy conditions, the downwash from the [powerful Mi-17 engines]( could swirl the tree tops and create optical illusions that confuse them. The loss of the CDS also [leaves a vacuum at the top of the Indian military](. Gen. Rawat [was appointed as the first person in the post in December 2019]( with a mandate to reform the military. He was to synergise the workings of the various wings of the military in terms of logistics, communication, and other aspects so that integrated theatre commands could be put in place of the separate service commands that exist now. This process will be hampered with the loss of the man who was the government's choice to execute it.The mystery of a sturdy helicopter crashing, the tragic loss of lives, and its impact on the future of the Indian military are what make this story important. [underlineimg] The Hindu Editorials [Arrow][A measured response: On the Omicron threat]( [Arrow][Diplomatic games: On U.S. boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics]( [underlineimg] Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor's Pick and more. [Click here]( Try out The Hindu's daily news quiz Which verdict laid down guidelines for the use of AFSPA? 1. 1991 Supreme Court judgment 2. 1993 Supreme Court judgment 3. 1998 Supreme Court judgment 4. 1997 Supreme Court judgment To find out the answer and play the full quiz, [click here](. [underlineimg] Today's Best Reads [[Russia, a legacy relationship with limitations] Russia, a legacy relationship with limitations]( [[Indian Air Force helicopter crash | What we know about the Mi-17 helicopter] Indian Air Force helicopter crash | What we know about the Mi-17 helicopter]( [[Low tobacco tax, poor health] Low tobacco tax, poor health]( [[Alibaba’s e-commerce empire under threat from Douyin, Pinduoduo] Alibaba’s e-commerce empire under threat from Douyin, Pinduoduo]( Copyright @ 2021, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. If you are facing any trouble in viewing this newsletter, please [try here]( If you do not wish to receive such emails [go here](