On 15 February, Wing Commander Dushyant Vats of the Indian Air Force lost his life in a Microlight aircraft crash in Majuli, Assam. Vats was on a routine sortie when the Virus SW80 he was flying experienced a technical problem leading to the crash.
Just days after the incident, a photo of his wife went viral on social media. In the photo his wife Major Kumud Dogra is seen marching to her husband’s funeral with their baby – a girl – who was just five days old on the day of the funeral.
The powerful photo made many emotional. People posted messages of praises and offered their salutes on social media for Maj Dogra.
While offering tributes to Wg Cdr Vats, people underlined that Maj Dogra’s action is a testimony of the resilience of the men and women of our armed forces.
In other photos shared on social media Maj Dogra is seen smiling with her newborn daughter.
This is Heart breaking. Saluting your spirit Major Kumud Dogra🙏🙏🙏🙏. Jai Hind. #respect respect and more respect to you and our forces. Rab Rakha.
Jai Hind. pic.twitter.com/YUzlzNlgGB— Daler Mehndi (@dalermehndi) February 24, 2018
Major Kumud Dogra carries her 5 day old baby, as she goes to pay final homage to her husband Wing Commander D Vats who recently lost his life in an air crash. A young woman loses a husband and the child, a father. This is the price of our freedom. @adgpi @IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/1T5UR61UM2
— Major Gaurav Arya (@majorgauravarya) February 24, 2018
Been unable to move beyond these images of Major Kumud Dogra walking to her husband Wing Commander Dushyant Vats’s funeral with their 12-day-old baby in her arms. Dushyant was killed in a microlight crash in Assam this month. (Via @ikaveri) pic.twitter.com/TCGzIPFSXU
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) February 23, 2018
Salute, Salute, Salute, Major Kumud Dogra holding her five-day-old baby and marching on to attend the funeral of her husband Wing Commander D Vats, an IAF pilot killed when a microlight helicopter crashed near Sumoimari village in Assam last week.
I am with #IndianArmy pic.twitter.com/W9DhT6asJg— Anup J. Aditya🇮🇳 (@AdityaAsks) February 24, 2018
While times of india and likes are still going ga ga over bollywood babies , here is some real news that we should read . Salute to Major Kumud Dogra ! A brave women , a brave soldier ! #shametimesofindia #majordogra
— preeti (@hailpreeti) February 24, 2018
Bravery; thy name is woman!
Major Kumud Dogra with a 5 day old baby matching towards the dead body of her husband Wing commander D Vats – a rare epitome of courage. Salute!! pic.twitter.com/2oZNsqTpOy— Vipin Surelia (@GUCHUBOY) February 24, 2018
Salute Major Kumud Dogra! An officer herself, walking up & paying her last tributes 2her late husband while carrying their 5 days old child. Lots of praise 4 d young officer 4 her strength at a time like this & r showing their love 4 d new born baby who never got 2 see her father pic.twitter.com/E9H3M5Oso4
— Geeta sharma🇮🇳 (@BeingGeetaS) February 24, 2018
I salute you Major Kumud Dogra. It’s people like you who reinstate confidence in us that not everything is lost and looted in this country Jai hind 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/rEOyaWraV7
— Prof Raj Pillai (@Rajkumarpillai3) February 24, 2018
Wg Cdr and his fellow pilot Wg Cdr J James took off from Jorhat’s Air Force Station at around 12.30 pm and flew about 20 kms from the station before the aircraft crashed on a sand bar at Darbar Chapori along the Brahmaputra river while attempting an emergency landing.