Bhubaneswar, Jan. 28 -- The tragic plane crash in Maharashtra's Baramati that claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has also taken away a promising young aviator, Captain Shambhavi Pathak, leaving the nation's aviation fraternity and her loved ones in deep mourning.

Captain Shambhavi Pathak was serving as the First Officer (co-pilot) on the Bombardier Learjet 45 that went down while attempting to land. Barely in her late twenties, she was widely regarded as a disciplined professional with a bright future ahead in civil aviation.

A brilliant student from an early age, Shambhavi completed her schooling at the Air Force Bal Bharati School in Delhi, an institution known for nurturing academic excellence and strong...