Pilot killed in Gujarat Jaguar crash had got engaged just 10 days ago

Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Yadav, who died in an IAF Jaguar crash in Gujarat, had been engaged just 10 days prior and was set to marry in November. From a family with military roots, Siddharth's demise has cast a pall over planned celebrations in Rewari. IAF expressed deep regret and support for his grieving family.

HISAR: Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Yadav, who lost his life in Wednesday's crash of an IAF Jaguar in Gujarat's Jamnagar, had got engaged barely 10 days ago on March 23 and his wedding had been fixed for Nov 2 in Haryana hometown Rewari. The 28-year-old was the only son of his parents. He leaves them behind, apart from a younger sister.

Siddharth hailed from a family with a legacy of military service. His great-grandfather served in Bengal Engineers during British rule and his grandfather was in paramilitary forces. His father also served in IAF and is now with LIC.

Cousin Sachin said Siddharth's father Sushil had built his house in Rewari in anticipation of his son's wedding. "Instead of celebrations, this house has become a place of mourning," said Sachin. News of Siddharth's demise sent shockwaves through Rewari.

His body is expected to arrive Friday for the final rites in his ancestral village Bhalkhi Majra. Siddharth's co-pilot was injured in the crash of the two-seater jet and is in a hospital. According to an IAF statement on X, the pilots encountered a "technical malfunction mid-flight and ejected to avoid damage to the airfield and nearby populated areas".

IAF said it "deeply" regretted the loss and stood firmly with the bereaved family. Having cleared the NDA exam in 2016, Siddharth underwent three years of training before being commissioned as a fighter pilot in IAF..