Wing Commander Namansh Syal died on Friday (November 21) while flying a Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Mk-1) after it crashed during an event in Dubai. Wing Commander Afshan, Wing Commander Namansh Syal’s wife and also an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer, bid goodbye to her husband while their six-year-old daughter held on to her as his mortal remains were laid to rest in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district on Sunday.
The wing commander’s cousin lit the pyre as Indian Air Force personnel, civic officials, politicians and locals gathered to offer their final respects to their dear ‘Nammu’. Notably, Wing Commander Namansh Syal died on Friday, November 21, while flying a Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Mk-1), which crashed during an event in Dubai. The pilot, who hailed from Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district, is survived by his wife, their six-year-old daughter, and his parents.
Wing Commander Afshan, the wife of Wing Commander Namansh Syal, was seen paying her last respects to her husband with tears in her eyes. She was also seen giving a salute as she bid farewell to her husband, a fellow IAF officer. Additionally, Wing Commander Namansh Syal was honoured with a gun salute by the IAF officers who had gathered as the mortal remains were brought to his native place.
The last rites of the 34-year-old, who was described as a “dedicated fighter pilot” and “thorough professional” by the IAF, will take place in his village, Patialkar. Several villagers had also gathered to see Wing Commander Namansh Syal one last time before his final rites were performed.
What happened at the Dubai Airshow?
The crash happened during a routine aerobatic show at the Dubai Airshow, one of the largest aviation events in the world, where more than 150 countries were presenting their aerospace work. Visuals from the final day show the Tejas fighter suddenly dropping forward before bursting into flame and sending thick smoke across the airfield. A court of inquiry is now examining the cause.
A former student of Sainik School Sujanpur Tira, he was commissioned into the IAF in December 2009. The Indian Air Force remembered him as a “dedicated fighter pilot and thorough professional” known for his “unwavering commitment and exceptional skill”. Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also expressed grief over the loss. Public figures, including actor Kamal Haasan, also paid tribute, calling him “a brave son of India taken far too soon.”
