Many years back when Morarji Desai was the PM (and I was a school kid in Pune), Desai and his son escaped an aircrash by jumping out of the airplane near Pune. The aircraft had developed problems, was going to crash and was kept in the air long enough for the two to escape. The Wing Commander and his two air force assistants died as there was then no time left for them to escape. These airforce personnel were based in Pune. I recall that they were given a hero's farewell in Pune and traffic was diverted for their funeral procession as a large number of people attended. I was young, but my older brother and his friends also attended. Our school had a 10 minute special item in the morning assembly when a student spoke on what happened.
I do not recall maj. Pitambare being covered by major media (my IIP is in India). Something has changed in our society since the incident above. It cannot be materialism - in the US fallen soldiers even in unpopular wars (Iraq, Panama) are eulogized - even a policeman killed in duty is remembered. Even in such a materialistic society Gary Hart is not spared for his friendship with Donna Rice and Bill Clinton almost impeached for Monica Lewinsky.
Today, Navjot Singh Sidhu is felicitated more by the media and people on the street after his sentence on homicide than for any century he may scored. Salman Khan became an even bigger hero after his car had trampled some street dwellers to death in Mumbai. Sanjay Dutt's career hit a peak well after his jail sentence. Shibhu Soren is guaranteed reelection (if he is able to stand for election) after his conviction and sentence as he now becomes a martyr. Lallu Yadav, convicted and jailed for corruption, is felicitated by the leading management institute in the country and lauded by a student community which wants to be recognized as the best (including me).
As a society, we seem to have lost all standards for right vs. wrong.
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