Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor of the Coonoor chopper crash that killed CDS Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 others has passed away today. The Group Captain was fighting for his life at a hospital in Bengaluru. He has suffered shockingly severe burn injuries in the crash. At this crucial time, a letter written by him has been making rounds on social media. The letter defines his courage and never giving up attitude.
Group Captain Varun Singh’s life has been an inspirational journey, from being a mediocre student in the school to a Shaurya Chakra Awardee. Take a look below to know more about him and his appeal against the pressures created by the current education system of the country.
Captain Varun Singh's letter: Life in his own words
Group Captain Varun Singh, in his letter to the Principal of his school, wrote, “It is ok to be mediocre. Not everyone will excel at school and not everyone will be able to score in the 90s... If you don’t, do not think that you are meant to be mediocre. You may be mediocre in school but it is by no means a measure of things to come in life."
Varun Singh wrote this letter to his principal after he won the Shuarya Chakra and wanted to thank his teachers for making him the person he was then. He is an alumnus of the Army Public School, Chandimandir Cantonment, Haryana.
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An underconfident, mediocre past:
As Varun Singh has written about himself, he was not among the brightest students of his school and could barely score 1st division in Class 12th exams. He was not that bright in sports or co-curricular activities either. However, his passion for aeroplanes and aviation had no bounds. He was also among the first 12 candidates for ISRO's Gaganyaan programme in 2019 but his medical conditions ruled him out.
He went to National Defense Academy (NDA) and passed out as an Officer Cadet. He had no interest or excellence in extracurricular activities or sports to make the cut to be an appointment in NDA, he wrote. He lacked confidence in his true capabilities, even after reaching AFA and rising over his peers. He wrote something which many people would second with, "I lacked confidence as I always thought I was meant to be average and there is no point trying to excel, as I possibly couldn't excel at anything."
A few glances of his letter are shared below.
Many studies have shown that the students, if not provided with positive motivation, tend to lose confidence which gives them hopelessness in not just their career but every sphere of life. Group Captain Varun Singh, however, realised that he could do well as a Flight Lieutenant in case he put his mind and heart into it. Many mediocre students lose hope till they reach this level. They just wish to achieve the "pass" standard which was surpassed by Varun Singh. Varun, in his letter, tells how he started to do each task to the best of his abilities and soon got selected for a challenging flying instructors course bagging two out of five trophies.
Then there was no looking back. He completed the 11-month course of Experimental Test Pilot and was later selected to go to Staff College abroad. He was posted to a Tejas Aircraft Squadron.
Winning Shaurya Chakra:
While Group Captain Varun Singh was posted to a Tejas Aircraft Squadron, he faced a critical situation that required him to eject and abandon the aircraft. He, however, chose to stay, took a few risks, and managed to land it without any injuries to himself or citizens, causing no damage to the aircraft. This was the reason he was awarded the Shaurya Chakra in the year 2020.
Captain Varun Singh: An Inspiration For Mediocre Children
Varun Singh motivated the students to find their calling and not judge themselves based on their 12th standard scores. His appeal was to the parents, teachers and the Education System of the country as well. He wrote, "Whatever you work towards, be dedicated, do your best...Never lose hope, never think that you cannot be good at what you want to be."
He wanted his story to be shared with the teens nearing adulthood and are ready to face the complexities of societal pressures, challenges of the future and academic issues. He said that his motive would be achieved if he inspired even a single student. His letter asserted, again and again, the importance of self-belief and courage to fight against the pressures. Varun Singh was an ordinary boy who fought against such pressures to achieve what he had at such a young age. He is just 39 years old at present.
Captain Varun Singh: Personal Life
IAF Group Captain Varun Singh hails from Deoria, Uttar Pradesh. He is the son of Colonel KP Singh (retired from the Indian Army). His uncle Akhilesh Pratap Singh happens to be a Congress leader. He was accompanying Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat as a liaison officer when the chopper crashed.
Captain Varun said "Never lose hope", in his letter and we hope Indians would always follow his advice.
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