Nagpur, 6 March

Ravindra Duragkar could only recall memories of his son, Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar, the most vivid being their phone chat on Wednesday and his visit home ten days ago for a family get-together.

As IAF officials tried to console the retired railway employee at his home in Nagpur’s New Subedar Layout, the grief-stricken father occasionally regained his composure to say that Purvesh took immense pride in flying a fighter jet.

Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh were killed when a Su-30 MKI fighterjet crashed in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, the IAF said on Friday. The jet was on a training sortie and disappeared from radar shortly after taking off from Jorhat airbase on Thursday.

“We had spoken on Wednesday. His Group Captain got in touch with us and informed us about the accident,” said Ravindra, his eyes welling up.

His 28-year-old son had taken part in Operation Sindoor, which India launched to target terror bases in Pakistan following last year’s Pahalgam attack, he said, adding that Purvesh was deeply committed to his work.

Ravindra said Purvesh was originally posted in Tezpur, Assam, but was operating from Jorhat as work was being carried out on the Tezpur runway.

A neighbour told PTI that Purvesh is survived by his parents and a sister settled in the US. Purvesh and his sister, an IITian, had come home ten days ago for a family get-together, the neighbour said. Ravindra also recalled the family function.

Purvesh, who did his schooling in Nagpur, was single. Ravindra said his son’s body is likely to reach Nagpur in the evening.

“My son was extremely proud to be part of the Indian Air Force. He would sometimes share his experience of flying fighter planes and the speeds that IAF jets achieve. He held his colleagues in high regard,” he said.