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Group Captain Varun Singh SC Defence Services Staff College
Directing Staff (Air) Wellington (Nilgiris)
Mob : 7477050280 Tamil Nadu - 643 231
E-mail: varunsinghts11 @gmail.com
1& Sep 21
DSSC/27987/Pers
The Principal
Army Public School
Sector ~ D, Chandimandir
Haryana 134107
“Peas Vo'aus,
1 | hope this letter finds you, your family, the faculty and the children
of the school in the best of health in these challenging times, | am an
alumnus of the school's 2000 batch. Wg Cdr Avtar Singh (Retd) was the
principal at the time and the present Vice-Principal Mrs Vijay Lakshmi was
our English teacher. After completing school, | was selected for NDA and
thereafter joined the Air Force in the Flying Branch, fighter stream
| write to you filled with a sense of pride and humility. On 15th Aug
this year | have been awarded Shaurya Chakra by the President of India
in recognition of an act of gallantry on 12 Oct 20. | credit this prestigious
award to all those | have been associated with over the years in school,
NDA and thereafter the Air Force. as | firmly believe that my actions that
day were a re: of the grooming and mentoring by my teachers
instrucicrs and peers over tne years
3. | write to share some thoughts about my life which | feel may heip
and inspire children who might feel that they are meant to be only
mediocre in this hyper competitive world
4 | was a very average student who barely scored 1° division in 12"
class, Even though | was made the Discipline Prefect in 12", | was equally
average even in sports and other co-curricular activities. But | had a
passion for airplanes anc avian, | represented the school inAeronautical Society of India Quiz twice and we stood 2" and 3” in those
events.
5 ‘As | went to NDA, | passed out as an OC (Officer Cadet) and did
not excel either in studies or sport to make the cut to be an appointment
in NDA. It is when | reached AFA that | started to realise that my passion
for aviation gave me an edge over my peers. Still, even then | lacked
confidence in my true capabilities
6. | lacked confidence as | always thought | was meant to be average
and there was no point in trying to excel, as | possibly couldn't excel at
anything. After commissioning as a young Flight Lieutenant in a Fighter
Squadron | realised that | could do well if | put my mind and heart to it. |
started working to be that best | could be, as opposed to only making sure
| achieve the ‘pass’ standard.
ih It is at this point that things started to turn around in my
professional and personal life. | resolved to do each task to the best of
my abilities, whether it was flying or otherwise. | was soon selected to
undergo the challenging Flying Instructors course, wherein | bagged two
trophies out of the five.
8 Subsequently | volunteered for the prestigious and rigorous
Experimental Test Pilot course which had a 4 stage selection and only 7
out of 59 pilots who appeared made it through. And during the 11 months
long course one of the pilots was withdrawn from the course as he could
not cope with the rigours of the course.
2: Thereafter, | was selected to undergo the prestigious Staff College
abroad and on return was posted to a Tejas aircraft Squadron even
though | had crossed the seniority bracket to qualify for change of aircraft.
My credentials as an Experimental Test Pilot were the reason for this
challenging and exciting posting
awTe
- “St
UT Pree Seer ACAI: ar Rear aT RETR HIST
freer enw (ary) atin
Group Captain Varun Singh SC esfOror omg - 649 251
Directing Staff (Air) Defence Services Staff College
Mob; 7477050280 Wellington (Nilgiris)
E-mail varunsinghts11@gmail.com Tamil Nadu -643 231
10. In 2019 | was in the first list of 12 candidates for ISRO's
Gaganyaan programme. Though, | did not make the final cut due to a
medical requirement. Subsequently, last year on the fateful day, | was
faced with a grave and critical failure in my aircraft. The SOP required me
to eject and abandon. the aircraft. However, | took a few calculated risks
and managed to iand the aircraft without any damage to either the aircraft
oF civilians. The citation for the award is attached as reference
cn) | bring out the above not to blow my trumpet or with a desire to
seek a pat on the back. | write to let the children know a few of the
following thoughts of my life experiences that may help them in future
12. “It is ok to be mediocre. Not everyone will excel at school and not
everyone will be able to score in the 90s. If you do, it's an amazing
achievement and must be applauded. However, if you don't, do not think
that you are meant to be mediocre. You may be mediocre in school but it
is by no means a measure of things to come in life. Find your calling, it
could be art, music, graphic design, literature etc. Whatever you work
towards, be dedicated, do your best. Never go to bed thinking | could
have put in more effort
13. Never lose hope, never think that you cannot be good at what you
want to be. It will not come easy. it will take effort, it will require sacnfice
of time and comfort. | was mediocre, and today | have reached difficult
milestones in my career. Do noi think that 12” board marks decide what
you are capable of achieving in life. Believe in yourself, work towards it.”
14 | would be deeply humbled if in your judgement some part of this
story may be shared with the children, especially the teens as they near
adulthood with its complexities of societal pressures, academic
challenges and a sometimes an uncertain and frightening future.
15 lf | am is able to inspire even one child to believe him/her in
himself/herself | would have achieved my objective of writing to you,46. Once again reiterating, the honour | have been bestowed is a result
of my grooming over the years starting from school. | still hold my
teachers in the highest of esteem and thank them for where | am in my
life and career.
With healt hws aad spilelalt,
see
oe