On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Group Captain Varun Singh, the sole survivor of a tragic chopper crash in Tamil Nadu on December 8 that killed Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife, and 11 armed forces members.
Group Captain Singh was severely burned in the crash and died a week later at the Air Force’s Command Hospital in Bengaluru, despite a valiant fight against overwhelming medical odds.
Letter by Group Captain
The Prime Minister mentioned a letter written by Group Captain Singh – who had been given the Shaurya Chakra in September – to his alma mater the day after the disaster to “inspire youth who might feel they are meant to be average” during ‘Mann ki Baat.’
I saw something on social media that touched my heart while Varun was in the hospital… he had written a letter to his school principal. After reading that letter, my initial thought was that, despite his success, he did not forget his roots. And when it was time to celebrate, he wanted to do so alongside his classmates,” the Prime Minister explained.
“I was a pretty ordinary student who barely earned 1st division in Class 12,” the Group Captain had said in his letter.
In athletics and other extracurricular activities, I was also ordinary. However, I had a strong interest in aeroplanes and aviation.”
His Coping Mechanism
“I’ve always believed that I was destined to be mediocre and that striving for excellence was futile. “However, after commissioning as a young Flight Lieutenant in a fighter squadron, I realised that if I put my mind and heart to it, I could perform very well,” he wrote.
Group Captain Singh emphasised self-confidence throughout his letter. In an age when young minds are under enormous pressure from an educational system that appears to be meant to discourage, particularly those who are shy and insecure, his words must ring true for lakhs of students.
On Last Mann Ki Baat Of 2021, PM Recalls IAF Pilots Letter To School
