The Aryavarth Express
Nagpur, Maharashtra: Ravindra Duragkar, father of Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar who died in the Su-30MKI fighter jet crash in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, shared emotional memories of his son and expressed pride in his dedication to serving the country.
Speaking about his son, Duragkar said that Purvesh had always dreamed of working for the nation and had served in the Indian Air Force for four years. He noted that the family strongly supported his ambition to serve the country.
“Our dream was the same. We always encouraged him to work for the nation. It is heartbreaking that he lost his life after only four years of service,” he said.
Duragkar recalled that his son enjoyed reading and often spoke with the family about his daily routine. He had been posted in Tezpur and had also taken part in Operation Sindoor. The officer had visited home in February to spend time with his family.
Flight Lieutenant Duragkar was among the two pilots on board the Su-30MKI aircraft, along with Squadron Leader Anuj, who also died in the crash.
According to the Indian Air Force (IAF), the aircraft was on a training sortie when it crashed in the Karbi Anglong region of Assam, about 60 kilometres from Jorhat. The jet reportedly lost radar contact at around 7:42 pm after taking off from Jorhat.
The IAF confirmed the deaths and expressed condolences to the families. In a statement on X, the force said it acknowledges the loss of Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar, who suffered fatal injuries in the crash, and that all IAF personnel stand with their families during this difficult time.
Earlier, the Air Force had said that search operations were underway after the aircraft went missing.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed grief over the incident, offering condolences to the families of the two officers. In a post on X, he said the nation would always remember their courage and service with pride and gratitude.
The Su-30MKI is a twin-seat, multirole fighter aircraft developed by Russian manufacturer Sukhoi. The Indian Air Force operates a fleet of more than 200 of these aircraft.
