'He was just 33 and had become a father weeks ago': IAF Pilot Lokender Singh who died in Jaguar crash leaves India heartbroken
Squadron Leader Lokender Singh
, who died in the Jaguar aircraft crash in Rajasthan on Wednesday, had become a father only a month ago, according to a report by Times of India (TOI).
The 33-year-old fighter pilot, originally from Rohtak district in Haryana, was married during the COVID-19 pandemic. His wife gave birth to their first child, a baby boy, on 10 June 2025, at her parental home in Hisar.
News of his death reached his wife while she was still in Hisar
At the time of the tragic crash, his wife was still staying with her parents. The devastating news of her husband's death reached her while she was there. Squadron Leader Lokender Singh had been serving the nation since 2016, when he was commissioned into the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot.
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A family dedicated to service and education
Lokender Singh was the youngest of three siblings. His elder brother works in a multinational company, while his sister recently completed her tenure as a short service commissioned officer in the IAF. The entire family has a strong background of service and education.
His father, now retired, worked as a superintendent at Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) Rohtak, and his mother was a school teacher. Though the family belongs to Kheri-Sadh village on Rohtak-Delhi road, they have been living in Rohtak city for several years.
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A bright star gone too soon
A relative of the officer Joginder Singh Sindhu said Lokender was a brilliant student since childhood. He completed his education and pilot training from the prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA).
Lokender had always dreamed of serving the nation from a young age. His untimely death has left the entire family, especially his young wife and newborn son, in shock and grief.
India mourns the loss of a braveheart
The Jaguar aircraft crash in Rajasthan claimed not just a trained pilot, but a young man who had just stepped into a new phase of life, fatherhood. The Indian Air Force and the nation mourn this deep loss.
Inputs from TOI
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