General Bipin Rawat, who took charge as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff on Wednesday, said that his head was feeling lighter, referring to the Gurkha hat he used to wear as army chief being replaced by the peaked cap that is part of his new uniform.
Appearing in the olive green uniform specifically designed for the newly-created post, General Rawat said, “my head is feeling lighter because I have had to take off the so-called angled Gurkha hat which I have been wearing for 41 years. I have come back to the peak because this peaked cap that I am wearing is to say that we are now neutral. The CDS will remain neutral. He will remain neutral to all the three services, within his own service. Therefore my head is feeling lighter.”
In a series of tweets on Tuesday, the Army gave details about the olive green uniform which ‘represents the parent service – in this case, the army – but will have all components of the three services’.
The Chief of Defence Staff’s residence would be at 3, Kamraj Marg.
On Wednesday morning, after inspecting a guard of honour in New Delhi, Gen Rawat said that the CDS has its task cut out. “The CDS has a task cut out: To make all three services work in a cohesive manner. We will work as a team,” he said.
“As a team, we will work towards a goal where 1+1+1 is either five or seven, and not three. What I mean is, the synergised effort should not be the sum of the whole, it should be much more. And we have to achieve that through integration,” Gen Rawat added.
The CDS will also have to focus on better utilisation of resources and joint training, General Rawat said.
