City IAF pilot dies in air crash

News of the mishap was conveyed to Sameer’s relatives also residing in the Pimpri-Chinchwad suburb by IAF authorities as his parents were away at Nashik to attend a family wedding.

Learning about the mishap, the Nerkers’ neighbours at the HAL colony promptly informed his older brother Deepak who is also serving with the IAF as Flying Lieutenant and presently posted at Hyderabad. According to Nerkers relatives Deepak had already left for Jaisalmer to collect his brothers body which will brought to Pune tomorrow.

The Nerker couple, who were at Nashik today have also been informed about the mishap although the news of Sameer’s death have not been disclosed to them, the relatives said.

Sameer’s father, Kashinath Nerker is working with the stores department of Hindustan Antibiotics Limited. His wife Suman runs tailoring classes. Sameer was the second child of their three children. Their youngest daughter recently finished her MBA studies.

Sameer did his schooling at the HAL School in Pimpri and was then selected for training at the National Defence Academy (NDA).

“He was an effervescent youth with inclination for sports like boxing, swimming, badminton besides other adventurous activities like rock climbing. He has also won prizes for these”, recalled Sameer’s uncle Vasantrao Nerker.About his nature Vasantrao said,“He had tremendous love for his motherland and that was precisely the main reason behind he joining the armed forces. For flying too he always preferred the fighter aircrafts.”

“Now that he was well settled, his parents were looking for a suitable match for him. But now he is no more, only his memories remain”, said Nerker.