In the vast skies above India, our fighter pilots embody the spirit of sacrifice, their jets cutting through the clouds to protect our nation. Yet, a silent tragedy unfolds: over the past 30 years, nearly 200 Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots have perished in peacetime crashes, often in aircraft that are relics of a bygone era. These are not mere statistics they are sons, daughters, fathers, and spouses whose loss leaves families in perpetual mourning and a nation in quiet denial.
The Cost of Flying Coffins
The IAF’s reliance on aging aircraft like the MiG-21, MiG-27, Jaguar, and Cheetah helicopters has exacted a devastating toll. The MiG-21, inducted in 1963, has been dubbed the “flying coffin,” with over 400 crashes and 171 pilot deaths since its inception. Official records indicate the IAF lost 2,374 aircraft between 1947 and 2023, including 1,126 fighters, 229 trainers, and 196 helicopters, resulting in 1,305 pilot fatalities.
Since 1995, approximately 200 pilots have died in peacetime accidents, with 152 lost between 1989 and 2022 alone. From 2017 to 2022, 34 crashes claimed over 10 pilots, and 2025 has added to this grim tally with three Jaguar crashes, including one in Churu, Rajasthan, on July 9, killing two pilots.
These accidents, occurring during routine sorties or training, are often attributed to technical defects (50%), human error (40%), and external factors like bird strikes (10%). Aging avionics, poor maintenance, and substandard spare parts plague aircraft like the MiG-21 and Jaguar. The IAF’s squadron strength, at 31 against a required 42.5, forces reliance on these obsolete platforms due to delays in inducting modern jets like the Tejas and Rafale. This is not valor—it is a betrayal of our pilots’ trust.
Fallen Heroes: A Roll of Honour
Each crash is a wound on India’s soul, robbing us of bravehearts whose names must not fade into obscurity. Below is an expanded list of IAF pilots lost in aircraft crashes over the past 30 years, compiled from verified records. While comprehensive data is often withheld, this roll of honor includes additional names to reflect the scale of loss:
Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja (May 27, 1999): Shot down in a MiG-21 during the Kargil War, he ejected but was executed by Pakistani forces. His widow’s grief remains a testament to his sacrifice.
Flight Lieutenant Abhijit Gadgil (September 17, 2001): Killed in a MiG-21 crash near Suratgarh, Rajasthan, leaving his mother, Kavitha, to champion aviation safety.
Squadron Leader R.K. Tripathi and Flight Lieutenant A.R. Rao (February 7, 2007): Perished in a MiG-21 crash near Ambala, Haryana, during a training sortie.
Wing Commander J.P. Singh (April 30, 2008): Died in a MiG-27 crash in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, due to engine failure.
Squadron Leader Saurabh Kumar (June 10, 2010): Lost in a MiG-21 crash near Bagdogra, West Bengal, during a routine mission.
Squadron Leader Rahul Sharma and Flight Lieutenant A.K. Sharma (February 3, 2012): Killed in a Jaguar crash near Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, during a training exercise.
Wing Commander D. Vats and Squadron Leader S. Tiwari (June 19, 2013): Perished in a Su-30 MKI crash near Nashik, Maharashtra, due to ordnance failure.
Squadron Leader Sameer Abrol and Squadron Leader Siddharth Negi (February 1, 2019): Died in a Mirage 2000 crash in Bengaluru during a test flight after upgrades by HAL.
Wing Commander M. Rana and Flight Lieutenant Advitiya Bal (July 28, 2022): Killed in a MiG-21 trainer crash near Barmer, Rajasthan.
Wing Commander Hanumanth Rao Sarikonda (January 28, 2023): Perished in a Mirage 2000 mid-air collision with a Su-30 near Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
Group Captain Ashish Gupta (March 17, 2021): Lost in a MiG-21 crash near Gwalior after takeoff.
Squadron Leader Abhinav Choudhary (May 12, 2021): Died in a MiG-21 Bison crash near Moga, Punjab, found after a four-hour search.
Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Yadav (April 2, 2025): Killed in a Jaguar crash near Jamnagar, Gujarat, saving his co-pilot by ensuring their ejection.
Squadron Leader Lokendra Singh Sindhu and Flight Lieutenant Rishi Raj (July 9, 2025): Perished in a Jaguar trainer crash in Churu, Rajasthan. Sindhu, a new father, left behind a one-month-old son; Raj, 23, was the pride of Pali, Rajasthan.
This list, while not exhaustive, captures the scale of loss. Over 170 pilots have died in MiG-21 crashes alone, with additional fatalities in Jaguars, MiG-27s, MiG-29s, and helicopters. The absence of a public database obscures the full toll, but each name represents a life cut short and a family forever changed.
Also Read: Sqn Ldr Shishir Tewari – The hero who lives in our hearts
The Families Left Behind: A Heart-breaking Legacy
Every crash leaves a family in ruins. A wife’s final goodbye becomes a memory, a child’s laughter waits for a parent who never returns, and parents bury their pride and joy. Squadron Leader Lokendra Singh Sindhu’s wife, cradling their newborn son, learned of his death while visiting her parents in Hisar. His parents, a retired superintendent and a schoolteacher, mourn their youngest son’s unfulfilled dreams. Flight Lieutenant Rishi Raj Singh’s family in Pali grieves a 23-year-old whose life had just begun.
Kavitha Gadgil, mother of Flight Lieutenant Abhijit Gadgil, has become a voice for these families. After losing her son in 2001, she wrote in 2025: “My son died flying a MiG-21. Since then, over 150 pilots have perished. These are not accidents they are murders by negligence.” Her pain, shared after the April 2025 Jaguar crash, inspired Rang De Basanti, yet reforms remain elusive.
Families face bureaucratic hurdles for compensation, often waiting years for support. The IAF’s tributes folded flags and salutes cannot heal the wounds of widows raising children alone or parents outliving their heroes.
Systemic Failures: A Nation’s Shame
The root of this tragedy lies in systemic neglect. Aging aircraft lack modern safety features, and maintenance is marred by substandard parts and inadequate protocols. Investigations attribute 90% of crashes to technical defects or human error, yet accountability is rare. Courts of inquiry are conducted, but their findings are seldom public, leaving families in the dark.
The IAF’s depleted squadron strength forces reliance on obsolete platforms, exacerbated by delays in Tejas and Rafale inductions.
Kavitha Gadgil’s words cut deep: “We send our officers into patched-up machines, flying on borrowed time. We call it valor, but it is violence state-sanctioned violence against our own.” The government’s silence is a betrayal. Why are our pilots sacrificed to systemic neglect? Why does patriotism mute our demand for justice?
Conclusion: A Call to Honor and Reform
Our pilots are India’s pride, their courage unmatched. Yet, their deaths in preventable crashes are a stain on our conscience. Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, Flight Lieutenant Abhijit Gadgil, Squadron Leader Lokendra Singh Sindhu, and countless others did not die for glory they died because we failed them. Their families bear the burden of our inaction.
Let us shatter the silence of “acute patriotic syndrome” and demand change. Ensure no more pilots fly in coffins masquerading as cockpits. Honour our fallen by giving their comrades the tools to soar safely and their families the support to heal. The Nation must act now before another family mourns, before another hero fall
Further to my previous comment, I would say that sometimes it appears to me that the IAF appears to be the personal property of a some officers belonging to a perticular lobby which is a very serious affair and the government need to work on it. Particularly the intelligence agencies need to work on it and find it out.
Sir Colonel I share your pain. The succinct presentation should see the change, your fervent appeal.