On the eve of Republic Day, India's first Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat has been awarded Padma Vibhushan posthumously. General Rawat passed away last year after the IAF helicopter he was travelling in crashed in Tamil Nadu. Prabha Atre, Radheyshyam Khemka (posthumous) and Kalyan Singh (posthumous) have also been awarded the Padma Vibhushan.