Deepak Sathe

Wing Commander Deepak Vasant Sathe (24 April 1961 – 7 August 2020)[1] was a decorated Indian pilot who died in the crash of Air India Express Flight 1344.[2] He has been accorded a state funeral by Maharashtra state.[3] The Director General of Civil Aviation said that pilot error may have contributed to the crash.[4]

Wing Commander

Deepak Vasant Sathe
Born24 April 1961
Mumbai, India
Died7 August 2020 (aged 59)
Karipur, India
Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Air Force
Years of service1981–2003
Rank Wing Commander
Battles/warsKargil War

Training

Sathe was an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA) and completed his course in 1980. He passed out from NDA with the President's Gold Medal. Later, Sathe passed out from the Air Force Academy with the Sword of Honour for best flight cadet of his pilot’s course in June 1981 [5][6]

Career

Sathe was commissioned in 1981 into the Indian Air Force and served for 22 years.[7] He started his career by flying the MiG-21 supersonic jet fighter.

He became the squadron leader of the Golden Arrows squadron [8] in 1992,[9] and saw action in the 1999 Kargil War[10] where he was the wing commander who commanded a mobile air defence missile unit.[11]

He retired from the Air Force on June 30, 2003 as a wing commander[9] and in 2005 joined Air India. He was a test pilot for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited[12] where he was involved in the development of the air surveillance platform, the first AWAC system that India tried to develop. [13]

Sathe was also known for bringing back Adujeevitham movie crew members including actor Prithviraj and director Blessy who were trapped in Jordan due to Covid Lockdown [14][15].

Personal life

Sathe was a resident of Powai, Mumbai.[16]. He had two sons.[9]

References
  1. ‘Exceptionally intelligent pilot’: Friends, batch mates mourn Captain Deepak Sathe
  2. "Air India's Dubai-Kozhikode flight splits into two on Karipur runway, pilot among dead". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  3. "State funeral for Captain Deepak V Sathe who died in Air India Express Plane Crash". Mumbai Mirror.
  4. Gettleman, Jeffrey; Suhasini Raj; Shalini Venugopal Bhagat (8 August 2020). "Air India Crash Investigators Focus On a Dangerous Runway and a Pilot's Actions". nytimes.com. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  5. "Who was Deepak Sathe, pilot of Air India Express flight that crashed yesterday in Kerala's Kozhikode". India TV.
  6. "Decorated Officer, Jovial Gentleman And A Fighter: Tribute To Wing Commander Deepak Sathe". Outlook.
  7. "Deepak Vasant Sathe: The pilot in tragic Kerala crash was an Indian Air Force retiree". Gulf News. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  8. "Captain Deepak Sathe, pilot of the crashed AI Express flight, was a former Air Force officer and a part of the Golden Arrows squad". Business Insider.
  9. "Squash player-pilot Deepak V Sathe's courage prevents a catastrophe in Calicut". OnManorama. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  10. "Capt Deepak Sathe, pilot in Air India crash, had flown MiG-21 fighter aircrafts". News Minute.
  11. "Fighter pilot Augustine Vinod remembers flying with the deceased Wing Commander Deepak Sathe". Deccan Herald.
  12. "Air India Express pilot Deepak Sathe and co-pilot dead after plane crashes in Karipur airport". www.thenewsminute.com. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  13. "Fighter pilot Augustine Vinod remembers flying with the deceased Wing Commander Deepak Sathe". Deccan Herald.
  14. "Will cherish our conversation: Prithviraj pays tribute to Air India Express pilot Deepak Sathe". Malayala Manorama.
  15. "Prithviraj Sukumaran arrives in Kochi, Aadujeevitham team returns from Jordan". Malayala Manorama.
  16. "Air India Express pilot Captain Deepak Sathe's mortal remains reach Mumbai". Hindustan Times. 2020-08-09. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
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