A promising young pilot was among the seven people who lost their lives in the devastating air ambulance crash that took place in Jharkhand’s Chatra district this Monday. Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat, a native of Luti village in Jharkhand’s Latehar district, was flying the ill-fated aircraft when it went down.
The crash left his village and district in deep mourning. He was even slated to attend a close friend’s engagement ceremony on February 27. However, tragedy struck just days before that could happen.
Vivek was the only son of engineer Dev Sahay Bhagat, who is currently serving as an executive engineer in the Rural Works Department in Chatra. As news of the accident spread late at night, grief gripped Vivek’s Luti. Residents struggled to come to terms with the loss of a young man they described as talented, humble and deeply rooted in his soil.
CAPTAIN VIVEK BHAGAT’S PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY
The plane crash came barely six months after Vivek’s promotion to the rank of Captain. He had joined RedBird Aviation – the private aviation company that operated the ill-fated air ambulance – in 2022, after completing his rigorous training.
He received his early education at St Thomas School in Ranchi. Vivek then studied at Chaitanya Academy in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam during the senior secondary stage of his schooling life.
He underwent initial pilot training in Kanpur and later completed advanced training in South Africa.
HE WAS TO ATTEND FRIEND’S ENGAGEMENT
Despite his professional success, friends say, Vivek remained closely attached to his village. His childhood friend, Uday Narayan, said Vivek would return home whenever time allowed and was always eager to spend moments with old friends.
Vivek was scheduled to visit Ranchi on February 27 to attend Uday’s engagement ceremony. He had even applied for leave until March 1 for the occasion.
Originally from Panduka village, Vivek also had a residence in Ranchi. He is survived by his younger sister, Anu Abhilasha Bhagat, who is a medical student.
Former minister Baidyanath Ram visited the grieving family in their ancestral village after the tragedy. Calling the incident deeply painful, he said the entire family is educated and has brought pride to the region by achieving success despite living in a remote area.
For Latehar, Vivek was more than a pilot. He was a symbol of aspiration — a village boy who touched the skies, only to be taken too soon.
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