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2 months ago
Sweet, friendly: Delhi remembers pilot Pathak
Summary
Shambhavi Pathak and her family were different from most people — they were friendly, cheerful folk who seemed to care about their neighbours, 62-year-old Meenu Walia, who lived close to the Pathaks in South Delhi’s Safdarjung Enclave, told The Indian Express on Wednesday.
“Shambhavi would always greet me whenever she met me on the street. She was such a sweet girl,” Walia said.
Shambhavi was one of the pilots of the chartered aircraft that crashed on Wednesday morning, killing everyone on board, including Ajit Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
Walia said the Pathaks were her neighbours for two years before moving to another house in the same neighbourhood just a couple of days earlier. No member of the family wanted to speak with reporters on Wednesday.
The Bombardier Learjet 45 that went down in Baramati was operated by private jet charter operator VSR Ventures (VSR Aviation). According to Shambhavi’s Linkedin profile, she had been working at the company for the past three and half years as First Officer on the Learjet 45.
The Linkedin profile says Shambhavi completed her high school from Air Force Bal Bharti School in 2018 and then trained at the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy.
She also served as an Assistant Flight Instructor at the Madhya Pradesh Flying Club and studied for two years at the University of Mumbai for a B.Sc in Aviation. In some colleges, the three-year degree is reduced to two years for holders of Commercial Pilot Licences (CPL).
The 15-year-old aircraft bearing registration VT-SSK took off from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport around 8.10 am and disappeared from the radar at 8.45 am, as per flight tracking data from Flightradar24. The flight path shows the aircraft made a loop to line up with the runway, before disappearing from the flight tracker.
Besides Pawar and Shambhavi, three others died in the crash – pilot Sumit Kapoor, Pawar’s personal security officer, and a flight attendant.
Devansh Mittal is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in the New Delhi City bureau. He primarily covers civic governance, urban infrastructure, and environmental policy in the National Capital Region.
Professional Background
Education: He studied Political Science at Ashoka University.
Core Beats: His reporting focus includes the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the Delhi Metro. He has also shown a strong specialization in environmental accountability, particularly during Delhi’s winter pollution crises.
Recent Notable Articles (December 2025)
His reportage in late 2025 has centered on the severe air quality crisis in Delhi and high-profile civic developments:
1. Environment & "Express Impact"
"Express Impact: Action cell, weekly inspections to rid Rohini of its dust" (Dec 21, 2025): Following his investigative report that flagged Rohini as a "dust bowl," he covered the subsequent government action to set up a dedicated Dust Action Cell and mandate weekly joint inspections.
"Air toxic, Delhi govt makes 50% work from home a must" (Dec 17, 2025): Reporting on the mandatory WFH advisory and the Rs 10,000 relief announced for construction workers affected by the Stage 3 GRAP ban.
"Broken pavements, untarred roads: Why Delhi's Rohini is a dust bowl" (Dec 18, 2025): A ground-zero report detailing how dug-up roads and unfinished civic works have worsened air pollution in North West Delhi.
2. Urban Governance & Infrastructure
"New Metro museum at Supreme Court station opens for public on December 19" (Dec 18, 2025): Reporting on the relocation and inauguration of the iconic Metro Museum by CM Rekha Gupta.
"Data shows surge in sale of DDA flats in last three years" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical piece on how the DDA has begun clearing its massive unsold inventory of housing through new schemes.
"Birth to death services under one roof: How Delhi's expansion to 13 districts makes citizen lives easier" (Dec 12, 2025): Detailed coverage of the administrative reorganization of Delhi into three new districts (Outer North, Central North, and Old Delhi).
3. Transport & Safety
"Govt orders probe after off-duty pilot assaults passenger at Delhi airport" (Dec 21, 2025): A high-impact report on a physical altercation at IGIA involving an Air India Express pilot, which led to a formal investigation by the Civil Aviation Ministry.
Signature Style
Devansh is recognized for his "spot check" reporting style. His work often bridges the gap between environmental science (source apportionment data) and public health, making complex pollution metrics accessible to everyday residents. He is also a regular contributor to the Express political pulse, analyzing how urban issues like housing and dust affect voter sentiment.
Contact
X (Twitter): @devanshmittal_ ... Read More
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
Indian cricketers have been facing intense fan wars on social media, with former player Ravichandran Ashwin speaking out against it. He responded to a user's accusations of taking a dig at Virat Kohli by saying he and Kohli laughed it off and bonded over it. The two are expected to play for India during the tour of England in July.
“Shambhavi would always greet me whenever she met me on the street. She was such a sweet girl,” Walia said.
Shambhavi was one of the pilots of the chartered aircraft that crashed on Wednesday morning, killing everyone on board, including Ajit Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
Walia said the Pathaks were her neighbours for two years before moving to another house in the same neighbourhood just a couple of days earlier. No member of the family wanted to speak with reporters on Wednesday.
The Bombardier Learjet 45 that went down in Baramati was operated by private jet charter operator VSR Ventures (VSR Aviation). According to Shambhavi’s Linkedin profile, she had been working at the company for the past three and half years as First Officer on the Learjet 45.
The Linkedin profile says Shambhavi completed her high school from Air Force Bal Bharti School in 2018 and then trained at the New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy.
She also served as an Assistant Flight Instructor at the Madhya Pradesh Flying Club and studied for two years at the University of Mumbai for a B.Sc in Aviation. In some colleges, the three-year degree is reduced to two years for holders of Commercial Pilot Licences (CPL).
The 15-year-old aircraft bearing registration VT-SSK took off from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport around 8.10 am and disappeared from the radar at 8.45 am, as per flight tracking data from Flightradar24. The flight path shows the aircraft made a loop to line up with the runway, before disappearing from the flight tracker.
Besides Pawar and Shambhavi, three others died in the crash – pilot Sumit Kapoor, Pawar’s personal security officer, and a flight attendant.
Devansh Mittal is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in the New Delhi City bureau. He primarily covers civic governance, urban infrastructure, and environmental policy in the National Capital Region.
Professional Background
Education: He studied Political Science at Ashoka University.
Core Beats: His reporting focus includes the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the Delhi Metro. He has also shown a strong specialization in environmental accountability, particularly during Delhi’s winter pollution crises.
Recent Notable Articles (December 2025)
His reportage in late 2025 has centered on the severe air quality crisis in Delhi and high-profile civic developments:
1. Environment & "Express Impact"
"Express Impact: Action cell, weekly inspections to rid Rohini of its dust" (Dec 21, 2025): Following his investigative report that flagged Rohini as a "dust bowl," he covered the subsequent government action to set up a dedicated Dust Action Cell and mandate weekly joint inspections.
"Air toxic, Delhi govt makes 50% work from home a must" (Dec 17, 2025): Reporting on the mandatory WFH advisory and the Rs 10,000 relief announced for construction workers affected by the Stage 3 GRAP ban.
"Broken pavements, untarred roads: Why Delhi's Rohini is a dust bowl" (Dec 18, 2025): A ground-zero report detailing how dug-up roads and unfinished civic works have worsened air pollution in North West Delhi.
2. Urban Governance & Infrastructure
"New Metro museum at Supreme Court station opens for public on December 19" (Dec 18, 2025): Reporting on the relocation and inauguration of the iconic Metro Museum by CM Rekha Gupta.
"Data shows surge in sale of DDA flats in last three years" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical piece on how the DDA has begun clearing its massive unsold inventory of housing through new schemes.
"Birth to death services under one roof: How Delhi's expansion to 13 districts makes citizen lives easier" (Dec 12, 2025): Detailed coverage of the administrative reorganization of Delhi into three new districts (Outer North, Central North, and Old Delhi).
3. Transport & Safety
"Govt orders probe after off-duty pilot assaults passenger at Delhi airport" (Dec 21, 2025): A high-impact report on a physical altercation at IGIA involving an Air India Express pilot, which led to a formal investigation by the Civil Aviation Ministry.
Signature Style
Devansh is recognized for his "spot check" reporting style. His work often bridges the gap between environmental science (source apportionment data) and public health, making complex pollution metrics accessible to everyday residents. He is also a regular contributor to the Express political pulse, analyzing how urban issues like housing and dust affect voter sentiment.
Contact
X (Twitter): @devanshmittal_ ... Read More
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
Indian cricketers have been facing intense fan wars on social media, with former player Ravichandran Ashwin speaking out against it. He responded to a user's accusations of taking a dig at Virat Kohli by saying he and Kohli laughed it off and bonded over it. The two are expected to play for India during the tour of England in July.
AI Description
The article reflects on the personal and professional life of Shambhavi Pathak, a pilot involved in a tragic aircraft crash. It highlights the community's remembrance of her as a friendly and caring individual.