NEW DELHI: One of India's finest and most experienced pilots of the Airbus A-320 family of aircraft became a victim of the powerful blast outside Delhi High Court on Wednesday. Captain Ron Nagar, a former director with Indian Airlines who is now senior vice-president (operations) with Kingfisher and an active pilot, along with his brother Dr John Nagar, was outside gate no. 5 of the court when the bomb went off.
Ron Nagar received shrapnel injuries on his right eye, some part of the face, right arm and legs. Both the brothers were rushed to RML Hospital. After getting first aid, their family members decided to take them to Max Hospital, Saket. Ron's wife, who was present in the government hospital, said both brothers had gone to the high court for a personal matter. She said Dr John Nagar also sustained serious shrapnel injuries on his face and legs. Sources said Rahul Gandhi especially visited Ron in the RML hospital due to the victim's closeness to the Gandhi family.
Ron Nagar, an examiner on the A-320 family of planes that include the A-319, 320 and 321, had started flying in the erstwhile Indian Airlines when late Rajiv Gandhi was still a pilot in the airline and the two often flew together. He then rose to become director of important divisions, such as operations, training and flight safety, in the erstwhile IA before moving on to Kingfisher. Most recently, his expertise was acknowledged by the government when he was made part of an expert team to probe last year's Mangalore crash.
Sources in Max Hospital, Saket, said Ron was being operated upon and the operation could last a while. "He is suspected to have sustained two fractures. He has shrapnel in his face and legs. Also, glass pieces have pierced the skin. Doctors are trying to remove those foreign particles that are still feared to be inside," said a doctor, who did not want to be named. The doctor, however, said Ron was not going to lose his vision due to the eye injury. Sources also informed that Ron's brother also had similar injuries and he was also being treated.
Nagar shot to fame when, about six years back, he became the first pilot to land in foggy Delhi under the category III B conditions. "Take off in the virtually blind Cat IIIB conditions had become common by then as aircraft tail a follow-me jeep to the runway and then take off. But touching down in this condition using the instrument landing system had never been done in India before, as that is an almost blind approach. It took a pilot of Nagar's calibre to make the first IIIB landing in Delhi," said a senior IA employee.
A former airline CMD described Nagar as an "ace pilot, thorough gentleman and exceptionally fine human being". "I just wish he can fly again," the former CMD said while echoing the sentiments of almost everyone in the aviation industry who know Nagar.
Nagar's current boss, Kingfisher owner Vijay Mallya, shared the same concern for his ace pilot. Mallya is learnt to have made several calls to senior airline officials who rushed to Max Saket to be with Nagar's family. "We are all very worried for him and hope he gets well and back in the cockpit," said a colleague.
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