BENGALURU: Group Captain Varun Singh of the Indian Air Force, who succumbed to his burn injuries on December 15 at the Command Hospital in Bengaluru, was reportedly conscious after the Mi17 V5 helicopter crashed enroute to Wellington, killing former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and 12 others, on December 8.
Speaking to The New Indian Express from Bhopal, the late Air Force officer’s father Col KP Singh (retd) said that his son had “suffered 95 per cent burn injuries. He had walked out of the (burning) helicopter to the rescuers and identified himself,” he said.
“Varun gave the rescuers his wife Geetanjali’s name and mobile number and requested them to inform her that he was absolutely alright. They called and informed her. That’s how I came to know that Varun was on board the helicopter that had crashed. He also told the rescuers that other officers were seriously injured and requested help for them. I was in Mumbai on December 8 and was watching news on TV regarding the crash of Mi17 V5 that was carrying the CDS. There were no immediate details,” he added.
Col Singh (retd) said that Varun was “conscious till he was taken to the military hospital at Wellington. They had to sedate him to ease his pain. It is a routine procedure for patients with severe burn injuries,” he added.
Narrating the events of that fateful day, the retired Army officer said that after the rescuers called his daughter-in-law, she called him and told him that Varun was on board the helicopter.
“Slowly and gradually, the picture started becoming clearer and we came to know that he was the sole survivor of the crash. That’s when we rushed to Wellington. I saw Varun from outside the ICU,” said the father. He said that he was proud of Varun.
“I would not like to talk about him in the past tense. He is a great inspiration to many people. He is an excellent son, husband and father. He is a go-getter and a passionate fighter. After last year’s incident, whoever I met told me that out of 1,000, 999 test pilots would have bailed out of the aircraft. What Varun achieved in his 17 years of service (in the IAF), many officers don’t achieve in 40 years. Everyone should have a son like Varun. He has brought up his children so well,” said the bereaved father.
Group Captain Varun Singh was posted in Bengaluru for three years
Group Capt Singh was conferred the Shaurya Chakra this Independence Day for his remarkable feat and safe landing while flying a system check sortie in a Light Combat Aircraft on October 12, 2020.
While descending, the Flight Control System had failed and led to total loss of control of the aircraft at about 10,000 feet.
Singh, reads his award citation, “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.” Mother Uma Singh said that Varun is always around them.
“We have not lost him. We, as a family, have told him to be in a place he loved most; stay and guide us from there. Don’t worry about us. There are a lot of people to look after us. Varun has inspired so many people. They will follow his dream,” she said.
Singh was posted at the Air Force station in Bengaluru for three years.
“Six months ago, he was posted as instructor at Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington. His children study at the Air Force school in Bengaluru,” said his uncle Akhilesh Singh. The mortal remains of Singh were taken to his hometown Bhopal by a service aircraft on Thursday.
His family – father Col KP Singh (retd), mother Uma Singh, wife Geetanjali, son Radduman and daughter Aradhya Singh, brother Lieutenant Commander Tanuj Singh, along with Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command, Bengaluru, Air Marshal Manavendra Singh, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and other Defence officers paid their last respects at the Air Force Station, Yelahanka. His funeral will be held with full military honours at Bhopal on Friday.