HUBBALLI/BELAGAVI: A pall of gloom descended on Belagavi when one of its brave sons Wing Commander Hanumanth Sarathi (36) died in a tragic air crash involving another fighter aircraft near Gwalior Air Base on Saturday.
Known as the finest pilot of his squadron, the officer had led the team of pilots who brought the first fleet of Rafale aircraft to India.
“Co-pilots and officials working with him always spoke highly of him and his piloting skills. For us schoolmates, he came across as the most humble guy with no attitude. He was smart in school and joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) soon after clearing his class 12 exams,” recalled a batchmate of the Wing Commander in Kendriya Vidyalaya in Belagavi.
While his father served in the Indian Army, his elder brother Praveen Sarathi is a Group Captain in the Indian Air Force (IAF). Praveen’s wife also serves in the IAF. The Wing Commander is survived by his wife and two children. Group Captain Praveen Sarathi reached Gwalior to receive the mortal remains of his brother, who was killed while flying a Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft.
Born on October 28, 1987 in Belagavi, Hanumanth Sarathi underwent NDA training in Khadakwasla Centre in Pune before joining the IAF.
Pilot’s mortal remains to be brought today
The pilot was commissioned as a flying officer in the IAF in 2009. He was residing at Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh with his wife and children, while his parents stay in Belagavi. Though the family hails from Maknur village in Haveri, they settled in Belagavi after the wing commander’s father Revanasidappa retired as honorary captain in the Indian Army.
The officers of Airmen Training Centre, Belagavi, and Army personnel from MLIRC, Belagavi, visited the residence of the officer at Sena Colony in Ganeshpur, Belagavi and met the family members. Dr Jagadish K, his brother-in-law, said, “The parents are shocked. It is hard to digest that Hanumanth is no more.
We’ve been told that his mortal remains will be brought to Belagavi by a special IAF plane on Sunday. The funeral will be held in Benakanahalli near Ganeshpur in Belagavi with full military honours’”. Nitesh Patil, DC, Belagavi, said he is in touch with IAF officials.