Ignored for entitlements, martyred IAF officer’s dad and mom search change in govt coverage

A pilot within the IAF, 33-year-old Squadron Chief Rai died in a aircraft crash on December 4, 2023, close to the Air Drive Academy in Hyderabad whereas coaching a international cadet.

He was flying a Pilatus PC-7 Mark-II plane, a coach jet, with a international cadet beneath his coaching when it crashed close to the Academy killing each of them.

Group Captain Amitabh Rai and his spouse Chitralekha mentioned they misplaced their solely son Abhimanyu in December, 2023 however they haven’t obtained even a phrase of condolence from the federal government to this point.

They really feel the coverage for such instances must be tweaked to accommodate the dad and mom of the martyred bravehearts other than their wives.

“We all know of at the very least a dozen dad and mom of martyrs who’ve been ignored when it got here to in accordance entitlements, which went completely to their wives,” Chitralekha instructed PTI in an unique interview right here on Wednesday.

“One 12 months and three months have handed since we suffered the worst tragedy of our life, dropping our solely son in a coach jet crash close to the Air Drive Academy in Hyderabad. However we didn’t obtain even a phrase of condolence so far from both the prime minister or the defence minister,” Amitabh Rai mentioned.

“Why ought to a phrase of condolence be the unique privilege of solely the martyr’s spouse,” he requested.

He mentioned in lots of instances, the wives of slain or martyred troopers depart or ill-treat their in-laws after getting compensation and half the pension of their husbands. At instances, they even drag them to courtroom to say their share of their late husband’s ancestral property, he claimed.

“The spouse of a slain soldier is known as a ‘veer nari’ however not his mom who gave start to him, introduced him up and inculcated in him a love for the nation that was robust sufficient to make him lay down his life for it. Is it honest?” asks Group Captain Rai.

“We all know what it takes to groom your son like that and make him a soldier able to die for his nation. However, sadly, nobody appears to take discover of the very fact,” says he.

The notice that their son isn’t handled as a “martyr” regardless of having died within the line of responsibility solely deepens their sense of harm.

“As his loss of life was not a ‘battle casualty’, they do not deal with our son as a martyr. Our query is did not he die for the nation?” asks Chitralekha.

“My son had even served for one-and-a-half years within the prime minister’s fleet,” Group Captain Rai, who retired from the Indian Air Drive in 2017 after 32 years of service, mentioned.

The aircraft crashed throughout a low-level navigation sortie, says the braveheart’s father.

“My son was a devoted soldier. The international cadet was admittedly weak in reminiscence and sluggish in studying issues. He additionally lacked confidence and was not eager on persevering with together with his coaching.

“He had written all this in a letter to Abhimanyu. However because the passing out parade was close to after which he was to be commissioned into the air power of his nation, Abhimanyu determined to assist him full his coaching by taking him on the coaching sortie throughout which the jet crashed,” his father mentioned.

Requested why his son didn’t carry the international cadet’s reluctance to finish his coaching to his superiors, Group Chief Rai mentioned possibly he was beneath strain.

“He may need been hesitant to take the matter to the higher-ups as a result of diplomatic ties between the 2 nations are concerned. The coach pilots are beneath strain to finish the coaching course of efficiently,” Rai mentioned.

Coaching of cadets from pleasant nations is completed as a part of a diplomatic train to strengthen ties with them and the ensuing strain comes on the troopers, he mentioned.

It’s an inherent flaw within the system which must be addressed, he mentioned.

“An inquiry is underway to establish what precisely led to the crash and till that occurs, we’re assailed by all types of doubts concerning the circumstances on the time of the crash similar to whether or not our son was overworked or beneath strain or some error was dedicated by the weak and ill-confident international cadet beneath coaching,” Rai mentioned.

The Rais visited the crash web site in Hyderabad and erected a memorial within the identify of their martyred son at their very own expense. The couple additionally visited the international cadet’s nation, met his dad and mom and prolonged monetary help to them as a goodwill gesture.

“We went to fulfill the dad and mom of the deceased international cadet. Our ache was frequent. We had each misplaced our sons. My spouse and the cadet’s mom cried on one another’s shoulders,” he mentioned.

Nonetheless, the lack of a son has not deterred Group Captain Amitabh Rai from coaching vivid younger boys freed from price to hitch the armed forces and serve their motherland with valour.

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