Who Were the IAF Pilots Killed In Assam Sukhoi-30MKI Crash?

Two Indian Air Force fighter pilots died after a Sukhoi-30MKI crashed in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district during a training mission. Squadron Leader Anuj Vashisth from Gurugram was the son of a retired Army JCO. Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar from Nagpur was commissioned in 2022 and had an NCC background. 

New Delhi: An Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter aircraft Sukhoi-30MKI crashed at Inglong Ekopi Hill in Bokajan Sub Division of the Karbi Anglong district in Assam on Thursday evening, killing two air warriors, Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar.

The Russian-origin Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft, which was on a routine training mission, had taken off from the Jorhat airbase on Thursday evening before losing contact with ground control at around 7:42pm.

Let’s learn more about these officers:

Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar

A native of Nagpur, Maharashtra, Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 2022 as a fighter pilot. A graduate in Computer Science from Dr Ambedkar College, he completed his schooling at South Point School in Omkar Nagar in Nagpur.

Duragkar had an active background in the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and represented Maharashtra in six national NCC camps. He also represented the Maharashtra Directorate in aero-modelling competitions.

His father, Ravindra Duragkar, works as a Transport Inspector with Central Railway, while his mother, Sandhya Duragkar, is a homemaker.

Squadron Leader Anuj Vashisth

Son of a retired Indian Army Junior Commissioned Officer, Squadron Leader Anuj Vashisth was from Haryana’s Gurugram.

In a post on X, the Indian Air Force said: “IAF acknowledges the loss of Sqn Ldr Anuj and Flt Lt Purvesh Duragkar, who sustained fatal injuries in the Su-30 crash. All personnel of the IAF express sincere condolences, and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief.”

Sukhoi fighter jet crash in the past

The Sukhoi-30MKI is one of the IAF's frontline fighter jets and plays an essential role in India's air defense capabilities.

Before this incident, a Sukhoi-30MKI had crashed in August 2019. It crashed in a paddy field near Tezpur in Assam during a routine training mission. The pilots successfully ejected and were rescued.

Earlier in May 2015, another Sukhoi-30MKI went down approximately 36 km south of Tezpur Air Force base shortly after take-off, with both pilots ejecting safely before the crash.