Tears, Salutes And Slogans Mark Agniveer Khemaram’s Final Journey

What was meant to be a joyous homecoming ahead of his engagement turned into a moment of profound grief for Rajasthan’s Panchota village as Agniveer Air Warrior Khemaram Kumawat returned home wrapped in the Tricolour after losing his life in the Indian Air Force AN-32 aircraft crash in Assam.

Thousands of mourners gathered in Panchota village in Didwana-Kuchaman district on Monday to pay their final respects to the 22-year-old airman. He received full state honours as family members, villagers and dignitaries paid tribute with deep emotion and patriotic fervour.

An AN-32 transport aircraft crashed and caught fire during a landing attempt at the Air Force base in Jorhat, Assam, on Saturday morning, killing Khemaram and four other Air Force personnel.

The martyr’s mortal remains reached his native village at around 4:50 PM in a special Air Force vehicle.

As the coffin draped in the national flag arrived, family members broke down in grief while villagers gathered in large numbers to honour the fallen air warrior.

A grand funeral procession passed through the village, with residents lining the roads, showering flower petals and raising slogans of ‘Khemaram Kumawat Amar Rahe’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.

People from neighbouring villages also joined the final journey.

Several dignitaries attended the funeral, including Rajasthan Revenue Minister Vijay Singh Chaudhary, District Collector Avdhesh Meena, Additional SP Vimal Nehra, former Deputy Chief Whip Mahendra Chaudhary, Rajasthan Mahila Congress President Sarika Chaudhary and senior administrative and police officials.

Senior Indian Air Force officers, including Sameer Dagar from Air Force Station Bihta, were present at the ceremony.

Air Force personnel accorded Khemaram a Guard of Honour and ceremonial salute before handing over the national flag to his father, Ramdev Kumawat.

His younger brother, Manoj Kumawat, lit the funeral pyre.

Details of the Air Crash

According to the Air Force, those killed in the crash were Prashant Singh, Shubham Kumar, Jitendra Sharma, Agniveer Air Warrior Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveer Air Warrior Danish Alam.

The co-pilot sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment.

Khemaram had joined the Indian Air Force as an Agniveer in December 2022 and was likely to return home on June 26 ahead of his engagement on July 1.

“We were working in the fields when we received a call informing us that Khemaram was no longer with us. It felt as if the ground had slipped beneath my feet,” said his father, Ramdev Kumawat, while expressing both immense grief and pride in his son’s sacrifice for the nation.

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