Group Captain Varun Singh, 39, critically injured, the lone survivor of a helicopter crash in the Nilgiris that killed 13 people, including Chief of Defense Staff General Bipin Rawat, was taken to the Command Hospital in Bengaluru – partly partly by road and later by air – on Thursday giving his family a semblance of hope of the survival of the fighter pilot.
“He is in a critical condition and has suffered a lot of injuries. The facilities at Bengaluru Command Hospital are good and we are hopeful that he will recover and make a comeback,” said Varun’s father Colonel (Retd) K P Singh on Thursday. Varun was earlier at a hospital in Wellington near the helicopter crash site in Coonoor.
Bhopal-based Varun Singh father Col (retd) KP Singh said that his son had called him a few days before the incident. “It was just a normal call where he spoke to me and my wife. I think by then the visit of the CDS to the Defense Services Staff College in Wellington was not even scheduled.
Varun Singh’s uncle Akhilesh P Singh said the family was “praying for his recovery” and the incident was “totally shocking to the family”. Uncle, a former Congress MLA from Rudrapur constituency in Uttar Pradesh and younger brother of KP Singh, said Varun “was a brilliant student and always wanted to serve the army.”
“At a very young age he had a goal and he cleared the National Defense Academy (NDA) in his first attempt. We all grew up in a joint family and we have a strong bond. Only his father and his posting helped. Took us apart but the roots remained very strong,” said Akhilesh.
Varun, 39, hails from a defense family, his brother serving in the Indian Navy and his father, Colonel (Retd) KP Singh, part of the Army Air Defence.
Varun was awarded the Shaurya Chakra on Independence Day this year for rescuing his Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas during an air emergency on October 12, 2020. His citation stated that during one flight the cockpit pressurization failed at high altitude without any associated failure. Warned and Varun, who was then the Wing Commander, saved the LCA from crashing.
“They correctly identified the failure and initiated a low altitude landing for landing. While descending, passing 17,000 feet, three of the four channels of the flight control system failed and lost control of the aircraft.” It was an unprecedented catastrophic failure that never happened.
There was a rapid reduction in altitude, while at normal altitude, the aircraft were approaching the extremes of the G limits. He encountered G upto-3.5, which in itself is life threatening with no threat of permanent damage to life,” the citation stated.
Varun landed the plane taking a calculated risk of going beyond the call of duty. “This allowed a precise analysis of the fighter’s fault. Due to his high level of professionalism, restraint and quick decision making at risk to his life, he not only avoided the loss of an LCA, but also protected civilian property and on the ground.” The population was also protected.