Members of 17 Rotary Clubs from across the district came together here on Saturday to honour the late flight lieutenant K.Praveen who lost his life in a helicopter crash while on a rescue mission during the recent Uttarakhand floods.
A short presentation that traced the young pilot’s life through photographs was screened to the audience of over 200 people. “He will be remembered for years to come for his service to humanity, especially by all the people he rescued during the natural calamity,” said Rotarian Rama Bharathi.
The chief guest, District Governor of RI District 3000, S.Gopal, quoted a person, who had been rescued from Uttarakhand by the IAF, as saying: “I could not reach Kedarnath, but I saw God in the IAF.” Collector L.Subramanian handed over the citation to the late lieutenant’s mother, C.Manjula, who was present with her parentsMrs.Manjula said, “I have been receiving financial assistance from the government as well as private organisations. I wish to utilise the funds to start a trust in my son’s name to serve society.”
Colonel Sanjay Pande, Group Commander, National Cadet Corps (NCC) Headquarters, Madurai, said the youth in the city had found an inspiration in Praveen. “People say that soldiers never die but they simply fade away. I hope that Praveen’s dedication remains etched in the minds of youngsters in the city and inspires them to serve the country,” he said.
