MIG-21 crash: Wg Cdr Mohit Rana's childhood dream was to be fighter pilot, says a distraught father

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 29

A pall of gloom descended on the New Chandigarh residence of Lt Col Om Prakash Rana (retd), whose son, Wg Cdr Mohit Rana, was killed in a MiG-21 crash in Rajasthan yesterday.

The officer’s parents are residing in New Chandigarh, adjoining the city, while his wife and a three-year-old daughter were living with him at the Air Force Station where he was posted. The family hails from Sandhol in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district, which he visited a fortnight ago.

Wg Cdr Rana’s mortal remains are expected to arrive here late this evening and the funeral with full service honours is scheduled to be held at the Sector 25 crematorium in Chandigarh tomorrow.

As relatives, friends and well-wishers poured in to offer condolences and lend a shoulder to the bereaved family, his father, who was inconsolable, said it was Mohit’s childhood dream to become a fighter pilot.

Though Lt Col Rana termed the incident as extremely tragic, he asserted he was proud of his son’s service and sacrifice. It was around midnight yesterday that his daughter-in-law called up to break the news of the crash.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Kharakvasla, Mohit was commissioned into the IAF in December 2005 from the 176th Course. The 36-year-old pilot, who was also a flight instructor, had been promoted to the rank of Wing Commander in December 2018 and was the flight commander of his squadron. He had celebrated his birthday on July 23.

Another young officer, 26-year old Fl Lt Advitiya Bal, who belonged to Jammu, also lost his life in the crash. The duo were on a training sortie in the MiG-21’s twin-seat version.

Family hails from Himachal Pradesh

• The 36-year-old officer visited his native Sandhol village in Himachal’s Mandi a fortnight ago. The officer’s parents are residing in New Chandigarh
• His funeral with full service honours is scheduled to be held at the Sector 25 crematorium in Chandigarh on Saturday

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