TIRUPATI: While the whole nation grieved the tragic demise of the Gen. Bipin Rawat, the first Chief of Defense Staff, along with his wife and 11 others in a helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, closer home, a pall of gloom descended on Eguva Regada village in Kurabalakota mandal of Chittoor district, as Lance Naik Sai Teja, who was the security officer of the General, also perished in the accident.
Sai Teja accompanied Bipin Rawat during all his tours and came to Tamil Nadu too along with him for his two-day tour in the state.
Sai Teja joined the Indian Army in 2013. His father Mohan is a farmer and mother Bhuvaneswari is a homemaker, while his younger brother Mahesh is also serving the nation as an Army Jawan at Sikkim. The 27-year-old Lance Naik is survived by his wife Shyamala, daughter Darshini (2) and son Moksha (5). Though Teja's family is settled in Eguva Regada village, he shifted his family to the SBI Colony in Madanapalle town for the education of his children one year ago.
Sai Teja's relatives said his last visit to the home was during Vinayaka Chavithi festival three months ago and he spent nearly one month with the family. He promised to apply for leave to return home for the Sankranthi festival and was in contact with the family over phone. He even spoke to his wife and children over a video call on Wednesday morning at around 8.15, according to his uncle Sudharshan.
However, news about the helicopter crash came hours after his interaction with family members. His parents and relatives are learnt to have left for Tamil Nadu on Wednesday evening. It may be recalled that 12 others including Bipin Rawat and his wife were killed in the helicopter crash apart from Sai Teja.
