"It is ok to be mediocre... but it is by no means a measure of things to come in life. Find your calling... whatever you work towards, do your best... never lose hope." These are the inspiring words of a braveheart soldier who is battling for his life at Command Hospital in Bengaluru after he received injuries in a helicopter crash.

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Group Captain Varun Singh - the name that spells hope, the name synonym with bravery and courage, the name for whom a country of 138 crore people praying for a speedy recovery. Such is the respect lone survivor of the IAF chopper crash has earned over the years.

Captain Varun Singh survived the fatal air crash that resulted in the death of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 other Air Force personnel in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. Captain Singh's uncle is Congress leader, Akhilesh Pratap Singh.

Group Captain Singh won the Shaurya Chakra on August 15 this year for showing courage in handling his Tejas fighter aircraft after it was hit by major technical issues during a sortie. An alumnus of the Army Public School in Haryana's Chandimandir Cantonment, the Group Captain wrote in September to the Principal of his alma mater.

In a moving four-page letter, Group Captain Varun Singh wrote, "Not to blow my own trumpet or with a desire to seek a pat on the back, but to share some of my life experiences in hopes it might inspire children who might feel that they are meant to be only mediocre in this hyper-competitive world."

"I was a very average student who barely scored 1st division in Class 12. I was equally average in sports and other co-curricular activities. But I had a passion for aeroplanes and aviation..." he wrote. Captain Singh talked about his time at the National Defence Academy and the first sight of his calling - aviation. But, he wrote, he still lacked confidence in himself.

"... I always thought I was meant to be average and there was no point in trying to excel. (But) after commissioning as a young Flight Lieutenant in a fighter squadron, I realised I could do well if I put my mind and heart to it..." he said.

"It is at this point that things started to turn around in my professional and personal life. I resolved to do each task to the best of my abilities..." the Group Captain wrote.

Read the full letter here.

Group Captain Varun Singh's achievements

Captain Singh won two trophies at the challenging Flying Instructors' course and was selected for the rigorous Experimental Test Pilot course.

Group Captain Varun Singh finally was posted to a Tejas fighter squadron even though he had crossed the seniority bracket.

The young officer was even on the first list of 12 candidates for ISRO's history-in-the-making Gaganyaan programme before a medical condition ruled him out.

Group Captain Singh won the Shaurya Chakra in August for courage in handling his Tejas fighter aircraft after it was hit by major technical issues during a sortie.