NEW DELHI: Captain Vikas Yadav might have lost his life in the unfortunate and tragic chopper crash, but, that has come as a proud moment for his wife Tajaswini Upadhyaya. She said that such incidents should not deter the country’s youth from joining the Force and serving the country.
Tajaswini who earlier served the Indian Air Force told The New Indian Express that she is ready to join the Force once again if given a chance. She served the IAF for ten years during 2003 -2013 in western state of Gujarat and Southern states. In fact, it was while serving in the Force when she met Upadhyay. Presently, she manages the play school of Airforce welfare management.
"Yes we are in pain and sorrow but I am not feeling bad about his death because he did not waste his life. All his life he fought and worked to protect the country. He liked to take risk, loved to fly and died in the way and place where he loved the most. So for us, it’s not sad, it's proud feeling for our family. He died an honourable death while serving the country. A civilian will not get such huge respect with a Tiranga wrapped on his body, country is standing for us,” Upadhyaya said on Sunday evening.
Vikas Yadav was one among the seven officers killed in the Mi-17 V5 helicopter crash on last Friday in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang district near the China border which killed five Air Force and two Army personnel.
Tejaswini, 37, hails from Hubli, Karnataka and was formerly with the Indian Air Force. She studied engineering and joined the IAF in 2003 and served the country for a decade as an officer, in Technical Branch. She took voluntary retirement in the year to take care of her three-year-old daughter.
She said that herself being an Air Force officer she was well aware that anything of that sort can happen anytime, but that never became a reason for worry.
“I myself served in Indian Air force so we know that anytime anything can happen and we never worried about that because the day a soldier took the pledge, his/her entire life is devoted to the country. Even my daughter Aadya is seven year and she is so confident and strong like her father that she too aims to join the force”, she said.
Even as she has lost her beloved husband, but, that has hardly deterred her from thinking of joining the Force once again if given a chance. “I took VRS to take care of my baby. Now she is old enough to understand things and also the Air Force is with us and will take our responsibility in all the way from living to everything but if there will be any possibilities will be there, I am always ready to work for the country again”.
Giving a lesson to country’s youth, Tejaswini said, “The countries young generations should not discouraged by such incidents. Young boys and girls should come forward with passionate to join the Army and fight for the Nation”.