IAF Su-30MKI Crash in Assam: Pilot Who Took Part in ‘Op Sindoor’ Remembered by Grieving Family in Nagpur.
Nagpur/Assam:
Grief gripped a family in Nagpur after Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar, a young fighter pilot of the Indian Air Force (IAF), was killed in the crash of a Su-30MKI fighter jet in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district. The aircraft went down during a routine training sortie on Thursday, claiming the lives of both pilots on board.
According to the IAF, the Su-30MKI took off from the airbase in Jorhat for a training mission but disappeared from radar shortly after take-off. Search teams later confirmed that the aircraft had crashed in a remote area of Karbi Anglong. Both pilots — Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar — were killed in the accident.
Back in Nagpur’s New Subedar Layout, Duragkar’s family struggled to come to terms with the devastating news. His father, Ravindra Duragkar, a retired railway employee, said the memories of his son’s recent visit and their last conversation remain vivid in his mind.
“He had come home about ten days ago for a family get-together. We spent time together, talked and laughed. On Wednesday, we spoke on the phone as well,” Ravindra Duragkar recalled while speaking to reporters. He added that his son always took immense pride in flying fighter jets for the Indian Air Force.
IAF officials visited the family’s residence to offer condolences and support as relatives, neighbours and friends gathered to share the family’s grief. Despite the overwhelming sorrow, Duragkar’s father occasionally regained composure to speak about his son’s dedication and passion for serving the nation.
Flight Lieutenant Duragkar had earlier participated in “Operation Sindoor,” a mission he spoke about with pride, his father said. The young pilot’s commitment to duty and love for flying had made him a source of pride for the entire family.
The Indian Air Force has ordered a court of inquiry to determine the cause of the crash. The Su-30MKI, a twin-engine multirole fighter aircraft that forms the backbone of the IAF’s combat fleet, is widely used for training as well as operational missions.
Meanwhile, tributes poured in for the two officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. Local residents in Nagpur remembered Duragkar as a disciplined and determined young man who had fulfilled his dream of becoming a fighter pilot.
As the nation mourns the loss of the two air warriors, the Duragkar family holds on to the memories of a son who lived his dream of flying — and served the country with pride until his final mission.
