Continued:
Can an individual take on a system in India?
Yes! I am just a layperson and I could knock at the Rashtrapati's doors. I think if you are determined to do something you can achieve your goal. I am only Kavita Gadgil, but I represent all those mothers whose children have died in flight accidents.
The system is not willing to accept wrong. They say everything is smooth. If they say that, why are accidents happening?

But the system mostly blames pilots.
This is wrong. Even planes flown by wing commanders are crashing. How can you say they are also inexperienced? We have to do something to find a solution.

Do you think there is a chalta hai attitude in the air force?
We have to change that attitude. It is not me alone who is raising this question. Parents never feel their children will die when they are alive. I am not one who can take this battle alone. We have to come together and think about air safety.
Despite the defence minister's bravado, families of victims on an angry crusade
Like most fighter pilots, Flight Lieutenant Abhijit Gadgil was in love with his MiG-21. In fact, when he was commissioned in the Indian Air Force on December 21, 1996, he told his elder brother: "Bhaiyya, I believe I was born to fly. I wish I could stay in the aircraft and never walk on the ground again." When posted at Suratgarh, Rajasthan, in 1998, he flew to his heart's content. Two years on he got married and set up house. Nine months later, he went down with his beloved MiG-21, destined to walk the ground no more.

Fatal attraction: Flt Lt Abhijit Gadgil beside the one he loved; (left) his mother Kavita Gadgil spearheading a foundation for air safety

It is a familiar story, a similar end, for 17 other pilots, who died in 30 MiG-21 crashes in the 35 months since August 2000. For the bereft families left to ride the tragedy, there is solace in joining a fraternity that Abhijit's mother, Kavita Gadgil, has launched, called the Abhijit Air Safety Foundation. Its mission is to persuade the defence ministry to upgrade the MiG-21 fleet, in order to minimize casualties in peacetime.

Kavita, who for 12 years held orientation camps near Pune for children seeking a career in the armed forces, said: "I lost my son in what appeared as a completely avoidable crash; but it is not my personal loss alone that hurts. Other pilots are dead, civilians were killed. The IAF is suffering serious erosion in its major fighting force."

After the tragedy, Wing Commander (retd) Anil Gadgil, Abhijit's father, wrote to the chief of air staff inquiring about the cause of the crash. The reply left the family confused. It said: "We have taken effort to explain to you the reasons leading to the accident. The aircraft was fully serviceable at the time of the crash. We have examined this at great length and are convinced that the accident was due to disorientation during a dark night take-off. Abhijit's records indicate that he was weak in certain aspects of flying which was monitored. With experience he managed to cope

A venomous attack on the IAF or its hierarchy does not, in my opinion, offer any solace. At worst, you may demoralize the service. So far we have turned a blind eye to your tirade in public. Since you are an ex-officer and aggrieved father, I have attempted to pen down a reply."

Till then, Anil Gadgil claimed he had not said a single word in public. Said Kavita, "The MiG crashed within 30 seconds of take-off. The Air Force authorities told us that the flight data recorder was not working. Abhijit had over 500 hours of flying experience and had the highest number of sorties to his name, at the time, in the squadron. If he was not fit to undertake such an exercise at night, why was he called for the sortie when the original pilot detailed for it reported sick?"

Her main charge against the Air Force: "They did not think it necessary to tell us that the regular squadron doctor was not available at the time to certify whether Abhijit was not fatigued and was indeed fit to undertake a critical night mission at short notice. His medical had not been done, the doctor told us that he was out of town and later someone wrote that Abhijit's medical had been done."
Hope Crushed: Jamwal (left) mourning the death of his son Dipanker
The Jamwals feel that Defence Minister George Fernandes added insult to injury when he flew in a MiG-21 in Ambala last month. "What was he trying to prove? That all those young pilots died because of their errors?" asked Jamwals. After the 25-minute sortie the defence minister reportedly told the media: "I wanted to dispel the wrong impression about the MiG-21 which has been deliberately created. This aircraft will continue to be the mainstay of our combat fleet and the phase-out will be gradual."

According to Group Captain (retd) Mahesh T. Baran, the MiG-21, a single-engine trainer plane, is logically more prone to accident than the other variants with double engines. "A proven aircraft, the MiG has absolutely no inbuilt error," he said. "But like every machine it has served and reached its time-out phase and should have been phased out. The process has been delayed and now it's too late to phase them out."