At a time when whole of India and the world mourns the death of countless individuals including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani in Thursday's fatal Air India crash in Ahmedabad, the incident brings back chilling memories of other noted personalities and political leaders of the country who have lost their lives in aviation tragedies over the last few decades. From Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to then Andhra chief minister Rajasekhara Reddy to General Bipin Rawat, aerial crashes have claimed many VVIPs and VIPs who once served the country with honour and dedication.
Here's a look at some of the heartbreaking aviation disasters that took away the lives of India's stalwarts, leaving a lasting void in public life.
June 12, 2025: Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani killed in Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday (June 12, 2025) afternoon. The AI flight bound for London's Chatwick, carrying 242 passengers and crew, crashed moments after takeoff at 1:38 PM. Barring a lone survivor, all other aboard the ill-fated plane were killed in the tragedy. Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani was among those killed in the crash.
December 8, 2021: On the fateful day, India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and 12 others were killed when their helicopter crashed near the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. The CDS was on his way to the DSSC to address officers undergoing staff course when the tragedy occurred.
April 30, 2011: Dorjee Khandu, the then chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, and four others were killed when a chopper carrying them from Tawang to Itanagar crashed in a forest area. As per reports, the helicopter lost contact with ground control approximately 20 minutes after it took off. Khandu's body was recovered from near Sela Pass, close to India-China border.
September 3, 2009: YS Rajasekhara Reddy, the then chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, died when his Bell 430 helicopter crashed in a dense forest while he was on way to a village in Chittoor district.
March 31, 2005: On this day, two Haryana ministers OP Jindal, also a noted industrialist, and Surendra Singh, died after the chopper carrying them reportedly developed a technical snag and crashed near Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh.
September 2004: Then Meghalaya community development minister C Sangma, along with three MLAs and six others, was killed in a helicopter crash.
April 17, 2004: Famous south Indian actress Soundarya died in a helicopter crash when she was on way to participate in an election campaign.
March 3, 2002: Former Lok Sabha Speaker and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader GMC Balayogi lost his life in a chopper crash in Andhra Pradesh on this day.
September 30, 2001: Veteran Congress leader, a Cabinet minister and royal scion from Madhya Pradesh, Madhavrao Scindia, was killed in a plane crash while on way to Kanpur to address a political rally.
May 2001: Dera Natung, then Education Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, and five others were killed when their Pawan Hans helicopter crashed near Tawang owing to poor visibility.
November 14, 1997: Then Union MoS for Defence, NVN Somu, died in a helicopter crash in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, on this day.
July 9, 1994: The then Governor of Punjab Surendra Nath, and 12 others, including nine of his family, perished when a state government plane crashed in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh, shortly after take-off.
June 23, 1980: Sanjay Gandhi, the younger son of former Indian PM Indira Gandhi, died while piloting a glider, as it crashed soon after taking off from Safdarjung airport in Delhi.
May 30, 1973: Mohan Kumaramangalam, who served as the Union Steel Minister under Indira Gandhi's government, died in a plane crash in New Delhi at the age of 56.
August 18, 1945: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, one of India's iconic freedom fighters, sustained third degree burns in a plane crash in Formosa (now Taiwan) and succumbed to the injuries the same night.
Also Read
