The morning began like any other for Meera Pathak, an elderly woman living alone in the Basant Vihar area of Gwalior. She had woken up to a familiar and comforting message from her granddaughter Shambhavi Pathak. The short text read, “Good morning, Dadda.” Meera smiled and replied with a warm “Good morning” to her beloved granddaughter, whom she lovingly called “Chini.”
At that moment, Meera had no idea that this simple message would turn out to be the last one she would ever receive from Shambhavi.
A few hours later, shocking news shook the entire country. A plane carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed on Wednesday morning, killing everyone on board. Apart from Ajit Pawar, there were four others on the aircraft. One of them was the co-pilot, also known as the First Officer, Captain Shambhavi Pathak. She was only 25 years old.
The news of Shambhavi’s death left her family devastated. Her grandmother Meera was inconsolable. Sitting alone in her Gwalior home, she kept looking at her phone, again and again, opening the last message sent by her granddaughter at around 6:30 am. With tears in her eyes and a trembling voice, Meera said she never imagined that this would be Shambhavi’s final message.
Meera Pathak lives alone in Gwalior, while most of her family members stay in Delhi. Even though Shambhavi lived in Mumbai because of her work, she had spent a large part of her childhood in her grandmother’s Gwalior home. Their relationship was special. It was a long-distance bond, but full of love and warmth.
Shambhavi did not call or message her grandmother every day. But whenever they spoke, they talked for long hours. Meera said that even if days passed without communication, their connection never weakened. “She was a piece of my heart,” Meera said, breaking down while speaking to reporters.
On Tuesday night, Meera had casually asked her elder son about Shambhavi’s whereabouts. She knew that Shambhavi usually stayed in Mumbai because of her flying duties. Nothing seemed unusual at that time. But on Wednesday morning at around 9 am, Meera received a phone call from Shambhavi’s father, Vikram Pathak. He was crying badly but did not directly tell her about the accident. Hearing her son’s uncontrollable sobs, Meera sensed that something terrible had happened.
Nearly two hours later, the truth came out. Shambhavi was no more.
The family was shattered. Meera said that she kept wondering why Shambhavi had sent that morning message. “She did not message me often. I don’t know what made her send it that day,” she said. “Maybe she felt something. Who knows?”
Shambhavi Pathak was born in the Murar area of Gwalior. She came from a family with a proud connection to the Indian Air Force. Her grandfather, Shri Krishan Pathak, was a Wing Commander in the Indian Air Force. Her father, Vikram Pathak, also served the nation as a Group Captain in the Air Force. Aviation was not just a profession for Shambhavi, it was a legacy.
From a young age, Shambhavi showed discipline, determination, and a strong interest in flying. She completed her early education at Vidya Bharati School in Gwalior. Teachers remember her as a bright and focused student. Later, from 2016 to 2018, she studied at Air Force Delhi Public Secondary School, where she further developed her academic and personal skills.
After finishing school, Shambhavi pursued higher education in aviation-related subjects. She studied aeronautics, aviation, aerospace science, and technology at Mumbai University. Her dream was clear. She wanted to fly and build a strong career in aviation.
To achieve this dream, Shambhavi went abroad for professional training. She completed her commercial pilot training at the International Commercial Pilot Academy in New Zealand. Those close to her say she worked extremely hard and was deeply committed to her profession. Becoming a co-pilot at such a young age was a major achievement and a matter of pride for her family.
The tragic crash not only took away a promising young pilot but also shattered the hopes and dreams of a family that had dedicated generations to serving the nation through the skies. For Meera Pathak, the pain is unbearable. Every corner of her home reminds her of her granddaughter. The phone message that once brought a smile now brings endless tears.
As the nation mourns the loss of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and others who died in the accident, Shambhavi’s story stands out as a deeply personal reminder of how sudden tragedies affect ordinary families. Behind every headline and breaking news alert, there are parents, grandparents, and loved ones struggling to accept an unimaginable loss.
Meera still whispers her granddaughter’s name while holding the phone close to her chest. “I never thought this would be her last message,” she says. For her, Shambhavi will always remain the smiling granddaughter who wished her “Good morning” one final time.
