MUMBAI: Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar, who lost his life in the Su-30 crash in Assam, hailed from Nagpur and had taken part in Operation Sindoor, launched to target terror bases in Pakistan following last year’s Pahalgam attack.
The 28-year-old Purvesh is the son of a retired railway employee (transport inspector) Ravindra Duragkar, while his mother is a housewife.
Before joining the Indian Air Force in the year 2002, Purvesh had completed his schooling in his hometown only. He was a bright student and had attended the school’s last Republic Day parade as well.
While he was single, his sister lives in the US. According to his father, Purvesh was a part of Operation Sindoor in May last year. He was originally posted in Tezpur, Assam, but was operating from Jorhat as work was being carried out on the Tezpur runway.
His father said that around 10 days before this jet crash, Purvesh and his sister had come home for a family get-together. He said Purvesh was deeply committed to his work. “I last spoke with Purvesh on Wednesday over the phone, and then a call from Purvesh’s Group Captain on Thursday informed the family of the Su-30 crash.
My son was very proud of the IAF and took immense pride in flying a fighter jet. He would sometimes share his experience of flying fighter planes and the speeds that IAF jets achieve. He held his colleagues in high regard,” he said.
A Su-30 MKI fighter jet crashed in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district shortly after taking off from the Jorhat airbase on Thursday evening. According to the IAF, the Su-30 jet was on a training sortie when it disappeared from radar at 7:42 pm. Squadron Leader Anuj Vashishth and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh were killed in the crash.
Jet on training sortie
According to the Indian Air Force, the Su-30 jet was on a training sortie when it disappeared from radar at 7:42 pm. Squadron Leader Anuj Vashishth and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh were killed in the crash.