Jaipur, Dec 4 (IANS): The family members of Wing Commander late Rajendra Kumar Sharda donated his mortal remains to the SMS Medical College in Jaipur on Saturday, as per the last wish of the veteran Indian Air Force officer, said Lt Col Amitabh Sharma, PRO Defence, Rajasthan.

Aparna Gupta, the daughter of Wing Commander Sharda, informed that the veteran officer had desired that his body should not be cremated and reduced to ashes, but be donated for the maximum benefit of mankind post his demise.

Sharda passed away at the age of 82. He was a part of the first batch of Flight Engineers in the Indian Air Force and served on the Packet aircraft and IL-76. While on ground, he was a Senior Engineer and Chief Technical Officer at various stations, including the Comm Squadron that was responsible for all VIP aircraft.

He also did five years of flying as an engineer very early in his career, then went back to it after becoming the Wing Commander. The veteran officer had served both in the 1965 and 1971 wars.