Group Captain Varun Singh’s Mortal Remains Airlifted to Bhopal; Last Rites to be Held on Dec 17

Captain Singh's mortal remains were moved from the hospital at 10 am today to Air Force Station Yelahanka, where wreaths were laid as a mark of respect to the departed. From Yelahanka, the body would be flown to Bhopal, and the funeral is planned for December 17.

Written by: India.com News Desk Edited by: Rajashree Seal

Updated: December 16, 2021, 1:20 PM IST

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https://www.india.com/news/india/group-captain-varun-singhs-mortal-remains-to-be-flown-to-bhopal-last-rites-to-be-held-on-dec-17-5141359/ Copy

Bengaluru: The mortal remains of the lone survivor of the IAF helicopter crash Group Captain Varun Singh were airlifted to his hometown Bhopal by a service aircraft on Thursday soon after the Indian Air Force (IAF) military officials paid tributes to him. As per reports, his funeral has been planned for Friday (December 17), said sources. A decorated air warrior, Group Captain Varun Singh died at the Air Force’s Command Hospital in Bengaluru on Wednesday, a week after he was seriously injured in the helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu that killed Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and 12 others.

Captain Singh’s mortal remains were moved from the hospital at 10 am today to Air Force Station Yelahanka, where wreaths were laid as a mark of respect to the departed. From Yelahanka, the body was to Bhopal, and the funeral is planned for December 17.

Karnataka | Mortal remains of Group Captain Varun Singh, who passed away yesterday, December 15, reach Yelahanka Air Force Base in Bengaluru; IAF military officials pay tribute

He was the lone survivor of December 8 #TamilNaduChopperCrash in which 13 people had died. pic.twitter.com/LeNj4TjAZk

— ANI (@ANI) December 16, 2021

Initially hospitalised at Wellington in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu with 80 per cent burns, Singh was shifted to the Command Hospital here on December 9 for higher treatment. General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 other defence personnel were killed on December 8 when the Mi17V5 helicopter carrying them to Wellington in Nilgiris crashed. Expressing sadness over Singh’s death, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said the nation has lost a brave soldier.

“Extremely saddened by the passing away of Group Captain Varun Singh. The nation has lost a brave soldier. I extend my deep condolences to his family,” he said.

In Bhopal, Collector Avinash Lavania said the mortal remains of Group Captain Singh will arrive here on Thursday by and that his funeral will take place on December 17. Friends and well-wishers of the family reached his residence here soon after getting news about the demise of the IAF officer.

Singh’s father was very optimistic about his surviving skills as he had earlier survived a life-threatening emergency while flying a Tejas aircraft during a sortie last year.

The air warrior was conferred with the Shaurya Chakra, India’s third-highest peacetime gallantry award, in August this year for displaying exemplary composure and skill when his Tejas aircraft developed a technical snag during the sortie. The 39-year-old officer, who was known to be an excellent test pilot, is survived by an 11-year-old son, an eight-year-old daughter, and his wife. The Group Captain’s family originally hails from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh.