IAF jet crash: Pilot in Op Sindoor had family gathering 10 days ago, says father

Grief hung heavy over a quiet home in Nagpur as Ravindra Duragkar struggled to come to terms with the loss of his son, flight lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar, whose life was cut short in the crash of an Indian Air Force Su-30 MKI fighter jet in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district.

For the retired railway employee, memories of his 28-year-old son surfaced in fragments — the warmth of a recent family gathering barely 10 days ago, and the last phone conversation they shared on Wednesday. As IAF officials visited the family to offer condolences at their residence in New Subedar Layout, Ravindra alternated between silent grief and proud recollections of a son who lived his dream among the clouds.

“My son took immense pride in flying fighter jets,” he said softly, his voice trembling as his eyes welled up.

The Indian Air Force confirmed on Friday that squadron leader Anuj and flight lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar were killed after their Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft crashed during a training sortie. The jet had taken off from Jorhat airbase on Thursday and vanished from radar shortly afterwards before going down in the hilly terrain of Karbi Anglong.

Ravindra recalled that Purvesh’s commanding officer had reached out to the family soon after the accident. “We had spoken only on Wednesday. Later, his Group Captain contacted us and informed us about the tragedy,” he said.

The young officer, his father added, had also taken part in Operation Sindoor — India’s military operation targeting terror bases in Pakistan following last year’s Pahalgam attack — and was deeply devoted to his duties in uniform.

Though originally posted at the Tezpur airbase in Assam, Purvesh had been operating from Jorhat while maintenance work was underway on the Tezpur runway.

Neighbours remember him as a bright and disciplined young man whose achievements filled the family with pride. Purvesh is survived by his parents and a sister, an IIT graduate who now lives in the United States. Both siblings had returned home just days ago for a joyful family gathering — a moment that has now become a cherished memory.

A graduate of schools in Nagpur and still unmarried, Purvesh often shared with his father stories from the cockpit — tales of roaring engines, breathtaking speeds, and the thrill of flying India’s frontline fighter jets. Yet beyond the exhilaration of the skies, Ravindra said his son held deep respect for his fellow officers and the service he represented.

The family now waits in quiet sorrow as arrangements are made to bring Purvesh’s mortal remains to Nagpur later in the evening — a hero returning home for the final time.

With PTI inputs