Vijay Rupani was travelling to London to visit his wife and daughter. He never made it.
- Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, 68, died in the Air India Flight AI171 crash.
- The flight, carrying 242 people, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12.
- Mr Rupani was traveling to London to visit his wife and daughter when the aircraft lost altitude.
The number '1206' was never just a number for former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani. It was a constant across the decades of his public and private life. It featured on the number plates of his vehicles, be it a scooter in his early days, or the official car of a Chief Minister. For the long-serving BJP leader, '1206' stood for good fortune. Until it didn't.
On June 12, 2025, that number, in a cruel twist of fate, became the day of his death.
Mr Rupani, 68, was among the 242 people on board Air India Flight AI171, which crashed moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport en route to London's Gatwick Airport. The aircraft plunged into a medical college hostel complex in the Meghani Nagar area at 1:40 pm, sparking a massive blaze.
He was travelling to London to visit his wife and daughter. He never made it.
The flight manifest listed him on seat 2D. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu later confirmed that the former chief minister was among the dead.
The crash occurred on the 12th day of the 6th month - 12/06 - which friends, family, and party colleagues say was a personal emblem for Mr Rupani.
Photographs taken at his Rajkot residence show parked vehicles, still bearing the same 1206 registration that he had kept across years of public life. BJP leaders, including Gujarat state party president CR Patil, noted the tragic irony.
"Our leader and former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was going to London to meet his family. He is also a victim in this incident. May his soul rest in peace. This is a big loss for the BJP," Mr Patil said.
What Happened
Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, departed Ahmedabad at 13:38 IST, carrying 242 people, 232 passengers and 10 crew members. According to the airline, the manifest included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, 1 Canadian, and 7 Portuguese nationals.
Moments into its ascent, the aircraft began to lose altitude. Eyewitnesses captured video footage of the jet flying unusually low before crashing into a residential wing of a medical college. It struck a hostel block for doctors and students, punching through the dining hall. Food was still visible on the plates, scattered among the wreckage.
Career in Public Life
Mr Rupani served as Gujarat's 16th Chief Minister from August 2016 to September 2021.
Born in Rangoon (now Yangon), Burma, in 1956, his family migrated to Rajkot in the 1960s following political instability in Southeast Asia. He began his political career as a student activist and became a municipal corporator in Rajkot in 1987. Over the next three decades, he held a range of administrative and legislative roles, including as minister for transport, water supply, and labour.
Though he resigned in September 2021 to make way for Bhupendra Patel as part of the BJP's leadership reshuffle strategy ahead of assembly polls, Mr Rupani remained active in organisational affairs. He held a senior advisory role within the party's Gujarat unit and was frequently consulted on matters related to state policy and elections.
