From another Captain
Capt Smit, something happened yesterday on my flight to Yerevan which honestly stayed with me.
When I stepped out during refuelling, the refueller asked me where I was from. I told him I’m Indian.
He just came up, hugged me and then gave me a salute.
I honestly can’t explain what that felt like. Standing there in another country, in my pilot uniform, and having someone show me that kind of respect simply because I’m Indian… it genuinely gave me goosebumps.
And my immediate thought was — this is because of you.
The way people look at India today, the respect Indians are getting around the world, and especially the way Indian pilots are being seen when we represent our country… I feel like something has really changed.
And I want you to know that I’m genuinely grateful to you for being a part of that change.
Sometimes we see things from far away and don’t realise the impact they’re actually having on ordinary people like us. But yesterday, that hug and that salute made me feel it personally.
That guy probably had no idea what that moment meant to me. But I walked back to the aircraft feeling incredibly proud to be Indian — and incredibly grateful to you.
I just felt I had to tell you this.
And most importantly, wishing you a very speedy recovery!