Wing Commander Prithvi, pilot of ill-fated IAF chopper, was to visit home in January, says father
Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan's eldest sister saw the news of the IAF copter crash on television and called his number. It was switched off. She then called Prithvi's wife Kamini who confirmed the tragic news.
The pilot of the Mi17V5 IAF helicopter which crashed on Wednesday Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 defence staff, Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan was supposed to come home, in Agra, in January, his father 74-year-old Surendra Singh said on Thursday. Singh had spoken to Prithvi, the youngest of five siblings, a few days ago regarding an appointment in the military hospital for Prithvi's mother who was facing some eye problems. He was a caring son, his father remembered.
The family received the information of the crash through news channels, Singh told PTI. Prithvi's eldest sister saw the news on television and called his number. The phone was switched off. She then called Prithvi's wife Kamini who confirmed the tragic news.
Group Captain Varun Singh, sole survivor of crash, maintaining vitals
The family was originally based in Madhya Pradesh where Prithivi attended school. In 2006, they moved to Agra where Prithvi's father started a bakery business, PTI reported. Prithvi studied at the Sainik School in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa and got selected at the National Defence Academy. In 2000, he joined the IAF in Hyderabad and was now posted at the Indian Air Force station in Coimbatore.
In 2007, Prithvi got married to Kamini and the couple has a daughter (12) and a son (7).
His father recalled the Raksha Bandhan celebration when Prithvi could make it to the home, though his eldest sister who lives in Mumbai could not come, he said.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh issued a statement in the Lok Sabha on the chopper crash and said a tri-service inquiry led by Air Marshal Manavendra Singh has already been ordered.
The cause of the fatal crash is still unknown with many reports blaming bad weather for the mishap. Two boxes, including the flight data recorder, or the black box, were found after authorities expanded the search area from 300 metres to one kilometre. They are likely to be taken to Delhi or Bengaluru to ascertain the cause of the crash, officials said. The black box is expected to provide crucial data on the chain of events leading to the crash.
(With agency inputs)
