The father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, one of the pilots who perished in last year’s Air India plane disaster, has pledged to defend his son’s honor as investigators prepare to release new findings regarding the tragic incident.
Pushkar Raj Sabharwal expressed his determination in an interview with the BBC, following months of media speculation suggesting that attention was shifting towards his son’s actions during the flight.
”He is no longer with us, but I must safeguard his reputation,” he stated.
On June 12, 2025, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London crashed moments after taking off from Ahmedabad, resulting in the deaths of at least 260 individuals, including 241 passengers and crew members.
The precise cause of the accident remains unclear.
A preliminary report from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released in July of last year indicated that both engines’ fuel control switches had shifted from the “run” to the “cut-off” position shortly after takeoff, cutting off fuel supply to the engines.
Cockpit audio recordings captured a conversation between the pilots, with one questioning why the fuel had been “cut-off,” to which the other responded that he had not done so.
Investigators have yet to determine which pilot made either remark and have not implicated either pilot in any intentional wrongdoing.
At the time of the incident, co-pilot Clive Kunder was at the controls while Capt. Sabharwal was monitoring the flight. The investigation has not established any direct link between either pilot and the recorded dialogue.
Following the preliminary report’s release, outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and Reuters reported that new information was directing scrutiny towards Capt. Sabharwal. According to unnamed sources cited by Reuters, a cockpit recording suggested that the “captain cut the flow of fuel to the plane’s engines.”
These media reports sparked significant backlash from pilots’ associations in India, which condemned the coverage and refuted claims that the senior pilot was responsible for the crash.
The AAIB also criticized what it termed “selective and unverified reporting” by parts of the international media, stating that premature conclusions were “irresponsible.”
In response to the mounting speculation, Capt. Sabharwal’s father sought an independent investigation into all potential causes of the crash through India’s Supreme Court.
The court affirmed that “nobody can blame” the senior pilot and noted that there was “no indication of his fault” in the initial report.
Despite this, the surrounding media frenzy has been challenging for the family.
Pushkar Raj, now in his 90s, remarked, “Whenever an accident occurs, the pilot is immediately blamed. It’s the easiest way to conclude matters. He is gone and cannot defend himself.”
Capt. Sabharwal was a seasoned pilot with over 30 years of experience at Air India, amassing more than 15,600 flying hours, including nearly 8,600 on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
During a recent visit by the BBC to his home in Mumbai, Pushkar Raj reminisced about his son while surrounded by photographs of his late wife and Capt. Sabharwal in his uniform.
He revealed that his son had planned to retire soon to care for him and spend more time at home.
”He told me he was boarding the aircraft and would call me from Gatwick,” Pushkar Raj recalled. “And shortly thereafter, everything changed.”
He characterized his son as gentle, soft-spoken, and deeply committed to his family. “His mother used to call him her Shravan,” he added, referring to the mythological Hindu figure known for his unwavering devotion to his parents. “He wasn’t very talkative, but he always wore a smile.”
Even while on work assignments, Captain Sabharwal maintained a close connection with his father, Pushkar Raj recalled.
”He would call me upon reaching his destination, keeping me informed, and if he was staying at a hotel, he would often ring me four or five times,” he said. “I can only describe it as an immense, unbearable loss,” he added. “But I must endure. Thankfully, the rest of my family is here with me, so I am not alone.”
His daughter and her child relocated from Delhi to Mumbai to live with him and provide care.
He mentioned that family, friends, and neighbors came together to support him in the days following the tragedy, helping him navigate the initial chaos after his son’s passing.
These days, he finds solace in his daily routine.
Some mornings, he ventures out for a walk, one of the few occasions he leaves his home, though he now requires assistance.
The walks evoke memories of his son, who would accompany him whenever he was in Mumbai, Pushkar Raj shared.
Nearly a year after the crash, families of the victims, aviation specialists, and relatives of the pilots await further findings from investigators.
When asked how he would react if future investigation results were unfavorable for his son, he hesitated before answering.
”If I am to maintain my peace and composure, I must try to forget, though that is nearly impossible,” he admitted. “That is my reality.”
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong