New Delhi, Oct. 1 -- Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu on Thursday praised Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage and role in helping avert a major tragedy after an altercation in the aircraft's cockpit left him seriously injured.

"We are very proud of the bravery and courage of Captain Smit. It is a very unfortunate incident in terms of what was planned, but Smit has done a great job in trying to avert it. We feel proud because he is an Indian, but the act that he has put forward, everyone across the world is proud of him," Rammohan Naidu said.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also congratulated Captain Smit, saying he saved the lives of 180 people without fearing for his own life.

"I congratulate hi...