Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh has praised flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage and mental resolve.
“Every Indian is proud of him. What he did was exceptionally brave. He showed great physical and mental resolve. It is a lesson for us,” the IAF chief said during a press conference on Friday.
Machchhar was stabbed and seriously injured by his co-pilot inside the cockpit of flydubai flight FZ1073 on Wednesday. His actions during the incident have since drawn praise from several quarters.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh also hailed Machchhar's actions, saying the captain had saved the lives of 174 people and brought pride to the country.
“I must say that Captain Machchhar performed a truly courageous act, and if he drew inspiration from the Hanuman Chalisa, that is excellent. He saved the lives of 174 people and has brought pride and honour to our country on the global stage,” Singh said.
The minister said no amount of praise was enough for the captain and added that he deserved the award given to him by Gujarat as well as greater national honours.
Machchhar's family said seeing him speak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided reassurance about his condition.
His aunt, Sonal Machchhar, said the family had received little information about his condition until then.
“We have watched him grow up since childhood, and he has always been a well-mannered child,” she said. “When we saw him speaking to the prime minister, we felt reassured that he was doing well.”
His uncle, Kishore Machchhar, said the family was overwhelmed by the support pouring in.
“I feel extremely proud, and it feels wonderful to see so much love coming from everywhere. Even people who didn’t know him earlier are now greeting us,” he said.
Machchhar's cousin Pulkit said the family, community and country were proud of the courage displayed by the captain and the lives he saved.
Pulkit added that direct communication with Machchhar is currently not permitted. The family had one conversation through which they learned that he was recovering.
“Everyone is praying for his speedy recovery and for him to return soon,” he said.
