The body of 28-year-old Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar, killed in the recent Sukhoi Su-30MKI jet crash in Assam alongside Squadron Leader Anuj, arrived in Nagpur wrapped in the tricolor. His family and community mourned deeply as he received full military funeral honors.
A hush fell over a street in Nagpur on Saturday, March 8, 2026, as the body of Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar arrived home from Delhi, wrapped in the tricolor. The 28-year-old Indian Air Force pilot had perished in the Su-30MKI crash in Assam's Karbi Anglong district on Thursday, shortly after takeoff from Jorhat Airbase.
Purvesh's father, Ravindra Duragkar, a retired railway employee, recalled speaking to his son on Wednesday when all seemed normal. A call from his Group Captain the next morning brought the tragic news. Inspired by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Purvesh had dreamed of flying since childhood and joined the Air Force during his studies in Nagpur. He had participated in Operation Sindoor following the Pahalgam terror attack.
He had visited home days earlier for a family gathering with his IIT-graduate sister, now settled in America. At New Subedar Layout, his mother broke down, lamenting, 'My son is no longer in this world...'. The family wept as Air Force officers and friends paid respects.
The funeral at Manewada Ghat featured full military honors, including a salute and gun salute, with his father lighting the pyre. A large crowd chanted 'Purvesh amar rahein' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'. Unmarried at 28, Purvesh's patriotic story continues to inspire.
