The UP government will give financial assistance of ₹50 lakh to the family of Prithvi Singh Chauhan, besides a government job to one family member. An institution will also be named after him

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday announced financial aid of ₹50 lakh for the next of kin and a government job for a family member of Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan, who was the pilot of the IAF chopper that crashed in Tamil Nadu’s Coonoor on Wednesday.

Thirteen people, including Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat along with other defence personnel were killed in the horrific crash on December 8.

The UP chief minister made the announcement after he met the family members of the Indian Air Force (IAF) officer in Saran Nagar locality of Agra and paid floral tribute to his portrait.

Yogi Adityanath also gave the assurance that an institution would be named after Wing Commander Chauhan.

The chief minister interacted with the father, sisters and other family members of the Wing Commander and consoled them.


“I met the family members of Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan who was killed along with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the nation General Bipin Rawat, in the chopper crash in Tamil Nadu on December 8. I am here to express my sincere condolences towards the family,” the chief minister said after meeting the family members.

“The whole nation is pained by the huge loss and stands with the families of the defence personnel who died in the tragedy. I was in Delhi today and paid my tributes to General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat and reached Agra later in the day to meet the family members of Wing Commander Chauhan,” Yogi Adityanath added.

“The UP government will give financial assistance of ₹50 lakh to the family of Prithvi Singh Chauhan, besides a government job to one family member. An institution will also be named after him. The state government, the public representatives and Agra administration all stand with the family in their grief. The cremation of Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan will be conducted with full state honours in Agra,” he further said.

“We also pray for the speedy recovery of lone survivor Group Captain Varun Singh, also from Uttar Pradesh,” he said.

The chief minister’s convoy reached New Agra area at 3.30 pm on Friday and he walked through the lane to reach the house of the IAF officer.

The chief minister reached Agra after flying in from Delhi. Police personnel were deployed and traffic was regulated on the Dayalbagh Road adjoining the Saran Nagar locality.

Earlier in the day, Congress leaders, including former Union minister of state Bhanwar Jitendra Singh and Rajya Sabha member Deepender Hooda, reached the house of the IAF officer, met his father and offered their condolences.