Tragic Farewell: Honoring Flight Lieutenant Rishi Raj Singh

In a somber ceremony, the mortal remains of Flight Lieutenant Rishi Raj Singh, who perished in a Jaguar fighter crash, were cremated with full military honors in his ancestral village in Rajasthan's Pali district. The 23-year-old pilot's death has brought attention to the risks of operating outdated aircraft.

Singh, who flew alongside Squadron Leader Lokendra Singh Sindhu, was honored posthumously as Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat paid tribute at Jodhpur Air Force station. The remains made their final journey to Sirohi by helicopter and then to the village of Khivandi by road, drawing a large gathering of family, locals, and officers.

The death has devastated Singh's family, who had been preparing for his marriage in the coming years. The tragic incident has sparked calls to review safety standards in the Indian Air Force, highlighting concerns over the operation of old fighter planes.

(With inputs from agencies.)