Nagpur

Ravindra Duragkar could only hold on to memories of his son, Purvesh Duragkar, the most vivid being their phone conversation on Wednesday and the young officer’s visit home ten days ago for a family get-together.

As officials from the Indian Air Force tried to console the retired railway employee at his residence in Nagpur’s New Subedar Layout, the grief-stricken father said his son had immense pride in flying fighter jets.

Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Duragkar were killed when a Sukhoi Su-30MKI crashed in Karbi Anglong, the IAF said on Friday. The aircraft was on a training sortie and disappeared from radar shortly after taking off from Jorhat Air Force Station on Thursday.

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

The 28-year-old officer had taken part in Operation Sindoor, which India launched after the Pahalgam attack last year, his father said, adding that Purvesh was deeply committed to his work.

Ravindra said his son was originally posted in Tezpur, but was operating from Jorhat as maintenance work was underway on the runway at Tezpur.

A neighbour told PTI that Purvesh is survived by his parents and a sister who lives in the United States. Purvesh and his sister, an Indian Institutes of Technology graduate, had come home ten days ago for a family gathering, the neighbour said.

Purvesh, who completed his schooling in Nagpur, was unmarried. His father said the officer’s body is likely to reach Nagpur by the evening.

READ MORE: J&K's only woman CM Mehbooba Mufti injected compassion into politics

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