Garima, with grit unparalleled

Garima Abrol, wife of late Squadron Leader Samir Abrol who was killed in Mirage 2000 fighter jet crash, has cleared Services Selection Board in Varanasi and may get an opportunity to join the Indian Air Force's academy in Dundigal on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

Squadron Leaders Samir Abrol and Siddartha Negi lost their lives in February this year during a crash while they were test flying a Mirage 2000 fighter jet in Bengaluru. Both pilots were from the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment.

Sources in the Air Force said initial reports suggest that the plane took off and then made a failed landing attempt, after which parts of the front portion broke off and the aircraft crashed into a gate near the runway.

The avionics and electronic warfare capabilities of the planes were upgraded, and the two pilots were taking it for an acceptance test when it crashed at the HAL airport.

However, Sushant Abrol, the brother of Samir Abrol had requested a central government inquiry into the mishap.

Garima Singh said, "I want justice for my husband. And such things should never be repeated. My husband could have ejected early but that would have taken the lives of many other people.

I request the government to hold the culprits accountable and punish them."

It may be remembered that Garima's Facebook post went viral some time ago. "Many a times I woke up crying after having one such bad dream.

But Samir would hold me, console me and tell me that is the ultimate purpose of his job to be able to serve our nation when the call comes," she wrote.

Garima's Facebook post

I am Garima Abrol… I am the wife of Martyr Squadron Leader Samir Abrol whose tears are still not dry. It still hasn't sunk in that you are gone. No one has the answer to my questions. Why YOU?

My husband was a proud Indian and I loved sending him off to serve the nation with a morning cup of tea and a head held high.

Every soldier's wife's biggest fear in life is when her husband would be called to the front line and serve in an active war.

I too had this fear. Many a times I woke up crying after having one such bad dream. But Samir would hold me, console me and tell me that is the ultimate purpose of his job to be able to serve our nation when the call comes. He wanted me to be brave, as that's what he was, a brave soldier, patriot to the core.

Such is the job of a soldier it does not bring you fame no one cries when you leave but the family. It does not make you a celebrity the media covers it for a day and drops it just like they have done for the pilots who have met the same untimely fate before Samir. Then everyone forgets about it.

How many more of these pilots have to give up their life to shake you up and make you realise there is something really wrong in the system?

A pilot is not made in a day, it takes a decade of training for their souls to get molded for the job. How many fighters have to give up their life for you to wake up?

I do not want any other sister of the Armed Force family to suffer the pain that I am going through. Words can't describe how painful it is out here alone without my better half, my BATMAN.

I need answers...

Whilst it's just another story and incident for some, i will keep fighting for the cause that took you away from me.