NEW DELHI: A tough fighter in life, even in death Group Captain Varun Singh gave a good fight.
Even as sad news of his passing away came in on Wednesday, his viral letter to the principal of the Army Public School in Haryana’s Chandimandir—his alma mater—was still doing the rounds.
The thoughts of the retired army colonel’s air warrior son who had written that ‘it is okay to be mediocre’ resonated brilliantly among the country’s young and only highlighted his fighting qualities that are the core essence of a soldier.
“Group Cap Varun Singh had suffered about 90-95 percent burns and that is very serious. Looking at the wreckage of the ill-fated MI-17V chopper, it is impossible that anyone would survive such a crash. But he gave it quite a fight and held on till the very end,” a senior IAF official told ETV Bharat.
A week ago, the Group Cap was stretchered to a military hospital in Wellington after the chopper he was flying in crashed near Tamil Nadu’s Coonoor in the Nilgiris district on a foggy noon.
“He was barely conscious when the rescue teams reached him. Immediately he was being put on life support at the Wellington military hospital before being shifted to the base hospital at Bengaluru,” the official added.
Chief of Defence Services General Bipin Rawat and 12 others died in the crash sending the entire nation into mourning.
Watch: Visuals from the IAF chopper crash site in TN's Coonoor
Posted to the prestigious Defence Services Staff College at Wellington, Gp Cap Singh was rostered on that fatal day to oversee and accompany Gen Rawat from the Sulur IAF base to Wellington.
A fighter test pilot—indicating his ace status in the IAF—Grouo Cap Singh had flown a range of fighter aircraft.
It was during such a mission when on October 12, 2020—then a wing commander—that Group Cap Singh gave a glimpse to his exemplary character.
Flying a Tejas LCA for a system check sortie, the cockpit pressurisation suddenly failed at high altitude.
After identifying the problem, he began to descend to a lower altitude to initiate landing and that was when the Flight Control System (FCS) failed which led to total loss of control of the aircraft.
Watch: Helicopter carrying CDS Bipin Rawat seconds before the crash
It was an unprecedented situation as the aircraft lost altitude fast even as it pitched up and down viciously going to the extremities of G limits.
But the ace flier was not to be daunted. Maintaining exemplary composure, he regained control of the aircraft, thereby exhibiting exceptional flying skill.
While at liberty to abandon the wildly swaying aircraft and eject, he displayed extraordinary courage and skill to safely land the fighter aircraft.
For this act of exceptional gallantry, Wg Cdr Varun Singh was conferred with the Shaurya Chakra.
His citation read: “The pilot went beyond the call of duty and landed the aircraft taking calculated risks. This allowed an accurate analysis of the fault on the indigenously designed fighter and further institution of preventive measures against recurrence. Due to his high order of professionalism, composure and quick decision making, even at the peril to his life, he not only averted the loss of an LCA, but also safeguarded civilian property and population on ground.”
And on Wednesday, after a week-long fight, the country lost one more of its brave sons.
Also read: Locals say there was almost zero visibility due to fog when IAF chopper crashed
