Who was flight lieutenant Siddharth Yadav? IAF pilot killed in Jaguar crash got engaged 10 days ago

Indian Air Force flight lieutenant Siddharth Yadav, who tragically lost his life in the Jaguar fighter jet crash at a village near Gujarat's Jamnagar on April 3 night, had recently got engaged. On March 23, he had exchanged rings with his fiancée from Delhi, and the family had just started preparing for their wedding, which was to take place in the coming months, The Indian Express reported.

The young pilot was on a night training mission when the aircraft crashed around 9.30pm on Wednesday, shortly after taking off from the Jamnagar Airfield. The jet went down in an open field near Suvarda village, about 12 km from Jamnagar city, and caught fire. While the co-pilot managed to survive and is currently being treated in a hospital, Siddharth Yadav could not make it.

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Hailing from Majra Bhalkhi village in Haryana’s Rewari district, Siddharth Yadav had joined the Indian Air Force in 2017. Serving the country ran in his blood—his father Sushil Kumar is a retired IAF personnel, while both his grandfather Raghubir Singh and great-grandfather served in the Indian Army.

Now, a village mourns the loss of its braveheart, and a young woman in Delhi is left grappling with a future that was meant to be spent with him.

In a statement on Thursday morning, the IAF said the pilots, who were on a night mission, experienced a "technical malfunction" in the aircraft before the crash on Wednesday night.

Also Read | Jaguar fighter jet crashes in Panchkula; pilot ejects safely

"An IAF Jaguar two seater aircraft airborne from Jamnagar airfield crashed during a night mission. The pilots faced a technical malfunction and initiated ejection, avoiding harm to the airfield and local population," the statement said.

"Unfortunately, one pilot succumbed to his injuries, while the other is receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Jamnagar. The IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident," it added.

The incident has left the family grappling with grief and pride as they remember their brave son who sacrificed his life while saving another.

Siddharth's father, Sushil Yadav, received the devastating news from the commanding air officer around 11pm. The officer informed him that one pilot had been rescued, but Siddharth had lost his life in the crash.

"The commanding air officer called last night at around 11 am and informed us about the incident that an aircraft has crashed, one pilot was rescued and another pilot, our son, had died," he said.

Who is Siddharth Yadav?

• Sushil Yadav fondly remembered his son as a brilliant student who had always made the family proud. Siddharth joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) course 135 in January 2016 and was engaged to be married just a few days ago, on March 23.
• The Yadav family has a rich military tradition, with Sushil Yadav himself having served in the Air Force, and his father and grandfather having served in the army. Siddharth's sacrifice has filled the family with pride, but also with immense grief, as he was their only son.
• "I am very proud of him; he lost his life while saving a life, but it is also a matter of grief as he was my only son," said Sushil.

According to Dr Deepak Tiwari, the Superintendent of Guru Gobind Singh Government Hospital, the pilot was diagnosed with a fractured leg and is receiving treatment for it.

(With inputs from agencies)