Jehanabad/Gaya: Grief and anger marked the final farewell to 25-year-old Indian Air Force (IAF) officer Shubham Kumar, who died in a military transport aircraft crash near Jorhat on Saturday.
Shubham, a native of Banwaria village under Hulasganj block in Bihar’s Jehanabad district, was cremated with full honours at Vishnupad cremation ground in Gaya on Sunday. His younger brother, Chhotu, lit the funeral pyre in the presence of thousands of mourners, senior officials and local residents.
Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi was among those who paid tribute to the officer.
As the family struggled to come to terms with the loss, Shubham’s grandfather, Yogendra Sharma, raised concerns over the safety of ageing military aircraft.
“I heard in the news that the aircraft my grandson was flying in was more than 40 years old. If that is true, the system must be improved. The government can stop my pension and other benefits if needed, but our soldiers must be provided with better equipment and safer aircraft,” he said.
There has been no official statement linking the crash to the age or condition of the aircraft, and the cause of the accident remains under investigation.
A Promising Career Cut Short
Shubham was the elder of two brothers. His father, Amarendra Anand, is a farmer, while his mother, Poonam Devi, is a homemaker.
According to family members, he excelled academically from an early age. He completed his primary education at Ramji GS Public School in Jehanabad before securing admission to a Sainik School in Andhra Pradesh in Class VI.
He scored over 90 per cent marks in both his Class X and Class XII examinations and cleared the National Defence Academy (NDA) entrance examination in his first attempt in 2017.
After joining the armed forces, he underwent training in Pune from 2018 to 2021. Following his training, he was posted in Hyderabad, where he served for 11 months before being transferred to Gujarat. His last posting was in Assam.
His father said the family had been relieved by the Assam posting, as it reduced travel time between home and his place of duty.
Planned Wedding Postponed
The family revealed that Shubham was engaged to a fellow Air Force officer from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, whom he had met during his posting in Hyderabad.
His marriage was initially scheduled for December 2025, but the family postponed the ceremony following the death of his grandmother. They had planned to hold the wedding after Holi next year.
“We were looking forward to celebrating his marriage. Instead, we had to bid him farewell forever,” his mother said.
Final Video Call Before Mission
Shubham’s younger brother said he had spoken to him over a video call at around 9 am on Saturday.
“He told me it was raining heavily and that he was in a hurry because he had to leave for a mission. He said he would call back later,” he recalled.
Around two hours later, the family received a phone call from an Air Force official informing them about the crash. Initially, they struggled to believe the news.
“It was only after a second call that we accepted the reality. Our entire family was devastated,” his brother said.
His mother said Shubham had called her earlier that morning as well.
“He told me, ‘Mummy, we are going on a mission. Please take care of yourself.’ I never imagined it would be our last conversation,” she said.
Family’s Dreams Left Unfulfilled
Villagers described Shubham as a humble and disciplined young man who had become a source of pride for the entire community.
According to local residents, the family had taken a bank loan to build a new house after Shubham joined the Air Force. The construction remains incomplete, and the family continues to live in a modest home.
“The new house is unfinished, and his wedding plans were postponed. Both dreams remain unfulfilled,” said a resident of the village.
As tributes poured in, slogans of “Shubham Amar Rahe” echoed through the village, reflecting both the pride and profound sorrow felt by those who knew him.
