While some veterans have fallen in my esteem based on their responses to the untimely demise of #BipinRawat the #ChiefofDefenceStaff I share some thoughts from a strategic viewpoint on his tenure. Recall that at one point #SandeepDixit the MP from Cong called him a street side

goonda when he was army chief. He attracted unhealthy attention during his tenure as #ChiefofDefenceStaff esp from veterans & even resistance from fellow colleagues as reported. His competence itself was questioned & I have had logical arguments on this with folks here. Looking

back I realised that he was a man in a unique point in Indian military & political history & barring for a politician or a doormat nobody could have become popular. His was a thankless responsibility & from a strategic viewpoint he had just 2 options. Either to win the popularity

contest or be a maverick & unpopular. He chose the latter & correctly so. Only a true leader can make this decision. Let's look at why his tenure was unique. 1) A non Cong govt was in power for the 1st time in Indian history with a foreign policy that was similar but yet very

different from the past. There was a new found self confidence, assertiveness, breaking convention kind of approach across all nations & that needed any army chief to recalibrate the defence strategy 2) There was a clear open aggression & risk taking response to misadventures of