Amritsar pilot killed in Ranchi–Delhi air ambulance crash

His father, Amrik Singh, said Savraj had nurtured the dream of becoming a pilot since childhood. After earning his pilot’s licence, he went through a prolonged period of unemployment and even gave private tuitions to help support the family. Despite the uncertainty, he remained determined and focused on flying.

Deeply attached to his family, Savraj had resumed duty just two days earlier after spending time at home on leave. “He spoke to his mother before take-off and told her he was flying from Ranchi to Delhi. He said he would call again after landing,” Amrik Singh recalled. Calling home before departure and immediately after landing was his routine.

“When we did not receive his call, we tried contacting him, but his phone was switched off,” the grieving father said, his voice heavy with emotion. “As we waited anxiously, news of the crash began flashing on television. Soon after, we saw our son’s name among those who had died.”

According to close friend Simrandeep Singh, who had known Savraj for 15 years, the first call to the family came around 11.30 pm on Monday, but details were unclear. “We did not know whether he was safe. We kept hoping,” he said. “Around 2.30 am, the family came to know about his death. We have no words to express our grief.”

Simrandeep had met Savraj just days earlier. “He had come last Saturday for a family function. He was hardworking, good-natured and always cheerful. We were planning to go out with friends during his next visit. We never imagined that would be our last meeting.”

Another close friend and neighbour, Lovdeep Singh, said the two families shared a long-standing bond. “We are very close. It feels like we have lost one of our own. A part of us has been taken away,” he said.

Throughout Tuesday, relatives, neighbours and well-wishers from across the city and beyond gathered at the family’s home. Inside, the atmosphere was heavy with sorrow. Savraj’s young wife sat surrounded by relatives, holding their infant son, while his parents struggled to come to terms with the loss.

Friends said Savraj’s journey to the cockpit had been built on years of determination and sacrifice. After years of training and persistence, he had recently taken up the responsibility of flying air ambulance missions — flights that often serve as lifelines for critically ill patients in urgent need of transfer.

For the residents of Govind Nagar, the tragedy is deeply personal. A young pilot who had worked tirelessly to realise his childhood dream, a son who never missed calling home, and a new father who had just resumed duty after leave — his sudden death has left an irreplaceable void.