'Will Always be Proud of Him': Fiance Sonia Yadav Recalls Her Eternal Bond With IAF Pilot Siddharth Killed in Jaguar Crash

New Delhi: As the tricolour-draped coffin of IAF Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Yadav was laid to rest with full military honours in his native village of Majra Bhalkhi in Haryana 's Rewari district on Friday, his fiancée Sonia Yadav stood by with a heavy heart, holding on to memories of a love that was meant to last a lifetime.

The two had gotten engaged just days ago, on March 31, after celebrating their special moment with family on March 23. Their wedding was set for November — a future filled with dreams that now remain painfully unfulfilled.

Fighting back tears at the funeral, Sonia said, “We shared a bond that words cannot capture. He had resumed duty the very day we got engaged — that’s the kind of commitment he had to the nation. I will always carry him in my heart, and I will always be proud of him.”

Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Yadav, 28, who lost his life in a Jaguar aircraft crash near Jamnagar, Gujarat , was cremated with full military honours on Friday in his native village of Majra Bhalkhi in Haryana’s Rewari district.

A sea of mourners, including villagers, friends, and dignitaries, gathered to bid a tearful farewell to the young air warrior. The air resonated with patriotic chants as Siddharth’s father, Sushil Yadav — a retired Indian Air Force personnel himself — lit the pyre. Bawal MLA Krishan Kumar and former minister Banwari Lal were also present to pay their respects.

Flight Lieutenant Siddharth was on a routine night training mission on Wednesday when the Jaguar fighter jet crashed around 9:30 pm, minutes after taking off from the Jamnagar air base. The aircraft went down in an open field near Suvarda village, about 12 km from Jamnagar city, and caught fire.

How Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Yadav Saved His Co-Pilot — and Countless Lives

In the final moments of his life, 28-year-old Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Yadav displayed extraordinary courage and presence of mind. As his Jaguar aircraft began to spiral out of control during a night training mission near Jamnagar, Gujarat, Siddharth made a split-second decision that would save not just one life — but potentially many.

With the aircraft heading dangerously close to a populated area, Siddharth diverted its course, steering it toward an open field. His quick thinking averted what could have been a catastrophic crash with massive civilian casualties. But that wasn’t all — he then ensured his co-pilot’s survival by ejecting him from the jet before staying behind himself.

Seconds later, the aircraft crashed and caught fire, claiming Siddharth’s life but sparing his co-pilot’s.

Hailing from Haryana’s Rewari district, Siddharth was a fourth-generation serviceman in a family steeped in military tradition. His great-grandfather had served in the Bengal Engineers under British rule. His grandfather, Raghubir Singh, was in the paramilitary forces. And his father, Sushil Kumar Yadav — a former Indian Air Force officer — had always dreamed of seeing his son soar in the skies.

His father, still reeling from the devastating loss, remembered him with immense pride and sorrow. “The commanding officer called us around 11 pm and broke the news… that one pilot was rescued and another, our son, had died. He had joined NDA ’s 135th course in January 2016. He was always brilliant — we’ve been proud of him since his school days,” Sushil Yadav said, his voice heavy with grief.  

“My father and grandfather served in the army, I was in the Air Force… and now my son too gave his life in uniform. He died saving a life — what could be a greater act of courage? But he was my only son…”, his father said. 

That dream of the father came true — but was also cut short in the line of duty. Siddharth’s final act was not just of duty, but of deep bravery and selflessness. A true son of the soil, he upheld his family’s legacy in the most heroic way possible.