Indian Politicians Sanjay Gandhi and Vijay Rupani: Fatal Air Crash Victims in Indian Politics
Tragically, Vijay Rupani, the former Chief Minister of Gujarat, is among the 241 casualties in the recent crash of an Air India flight bound for London from Ahmedabad. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner hit a medical college hostel and erupted in flames shortly after takeoff.
At 68 years old, Rupani was a well-known Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader who held the position of Gujarat's Chief Minister from 2016 to 2021. According to reports, he was en route to visit his family in London.
In the annals of Indian politics, several high-profile individuals have met their ends in aviation accidents.
A Recap of Some Past Notable Incidents:
Sanjay Gandhi (1980)
A key figure in the Congress party and son of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi perished in a small plane crash in Delhi during a trial flight on June 23, 1980.
Madhavrao Scindia (2001)
A prominent Indian politician hailing from the Gwalior royal family, Madhavrao Scindia was also a senior Congress leader. He met his untimely demise in a chartered plane crash on September 30, 2001, in Bhogaon, Mainpuri district of Uttar Pradesh. At the time, he was on his way to address a rally in Kanpur. All those onboard perished in the crash.
GMC Balayogi (2002)
The TDP leader and then Lok Sabha Speaker, GMC Balayogi, died in a helicopter crash in Andhra Pradesh's West Godavari district on March 3, 2002. The helicopter seems to have experienced a mechanical malfunction mid-air.
Dorjee Khandu (2011)
In April 30, 2011, the then Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Dorjee Khandu, died when his Pawan Hans helicopter crashed in a remote area near the China border. The wreckage was located five days later.
YS Rajasekhara Reddy (2009)
Popularly known as YSR, Reddy served as the sitting Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh when he perished in a helicopter crash on September 2, 2009, in the Nallamala Hills. The crash site was found a day after an extensive search operation.
OP Jindal and Surender Singh (2005)
Haryana Power Minister OP Jindal and former Union Minister Surender Singh, son of the former President, Shankar Dayal Sharma, lost their lives in a helicopter crash in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on March 31, 2005.
Gurnam Singh (1973)
In 1973, Gurnam Singh, the former Chief Minister of Punjab, is reported to have died in a plane crash in Delhi.
Balwantrai Mehta (1965)
Balwantrai Mehta, the second Chief Minister of Gujarat, met his end in a plane crash during the 1965 war when a Pakistani Air Force jet accidentally shot down his civilian aircraft while it was near the India-Pakistan border.
Members of the political sphere have endured tragic aviation accidents throughout history, such as Sanjay Gandhi in 1980, who perished in a plane crash during a trial flight in Delhi. In a similar instance, Madhavrao Scindia, a senior Congress leader, died in a chartered plane crash in Uttar Pradesh in 2001. The TDP leader GMC Balayogi met his demise in a helicopter crash due to mechanical malfunction in 2002. Other notable incidents include the helicopter crash that claimed the life of Dorjee Khandu, the then Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, in 2011, and the 2009 helicopter crash that took the life of the sitting Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, YS Rajasekhara Reddy. Accidents off the battlefield can also claim the lives of important figures, as seen in the case of Balwantrai Mehta, the second Chief Minister of Gujarat, who was shot down in a Pakistani Air Force jet during the 1965 war. Unfortunate events like car accidents and crime-related incidents are common occurrences in the news, but the devastating impact of aviation accidents on high-profile individuals can serve as a stark reminder of the risks associated with travel.
