Captain Devi Sharan: Captain Devi Sharan of IC 814 retired, witness of Kandahar operation became emotional at the farewell

Devi Sharan, the captain of Indian Airlines aircraft IC 814, retired on Saturday. IC 814 is the same aircraft that was hijacked to Kandahar in December 1999.

After flying his last flight as a pilot on Saturday, Captain Devi Sharan said in the farewell program that 'Now even as a passenger, I will always ensure that everything is right around me and nothing is going wrong. There will always be doubt in the mind about the safety of the people.'

Served for 40 years

Captain Devi Sharan joined Indian Airlines in 1985. After serving the company for nearly 40 years, his innings ended. Captain Devi Sharan retired at the age of 65 with many good and bad memories from his tenure.

Captain was stuck in Libya

However, the Kandahar hijack was not the only time Captain Devi Sharan or others from Indian Airlines faced danger. On 1 January 2000, 12 years after flying the hijacked aircraft back to India, they faced another such danger.

Then Captain Devi Sharan, Captain SPS Suri and cabin crew members were stuck in Libya which was going through civil war. They were chased by youths roaming around the streets of the city with AK 47. However, they escaped safely then.

Experience in flying multiple flights

Captain Sharan completed his flight training from Karnal in 1984. After this, he was selected for the then Indian Airlines. Indian Airlines merged with Air India in 2007. Captain Sharan started flying with Boeing 737-200.
But after this he also operated Airbus A320 and A330. This was the same plane that was hijacked in Kandahar. After the merger of Indian Airlines with Air India, he also flew A330 and Dreamliner B787.

The last flight of the Dreamliner

Captain Devi Sharan took his last flight on Saturday, January 4, in the Dreamliner, which came from Melbourne to Delhi. The flight crew members gave him a special farewell. On this occasion, he said that he still feels the same way as he felt as a young man when he joined the airline.

After retirement, Captain Devi Sharan plans to do farming in Karnal. He can also be a part of Air India's mega training facility.