Final Farewell in Rajkot: Gujarat Mourns Vijay Rupani After Tragic Air Crash

Ahmedabad : Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who tragically lost his life in the recent Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, will be laid to rest in Rajkot on Saturday.

His son, Rishabh Rupani, currently residing in the United States, is on his way to Ahmedabad and is expected to arrive by 4 a.m. on Saturday. Meanwhile, his wife, Anjali Rupani, arrived from London on Friday via a special chartered flight and proceeded directly to their home in Gandhinagar.

A steady stream of leaders and well-wishers has been visiting the family residence in Gandhinagar to pay their respects and extend condolences. Among the prominent visitors were senior BJP leaders including Cabinet Minister Mulubhai Bera, Kunvarji Bavaliya, Kuber Dindor, Bhanu Babaria, and Union Minister Parshottam Rupala. Several senior government officials have also met the grieving family to offer support during this difficult time.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally visited Anjali Rupani and other family members to express his heartfelt condolences. In a post on social media platform X, the Prime Minister wrote,

“It is unimaginable that Vijaybhai is no longer among us. I’ve shared a decades-long bond with him. We worked shoulder-to-shoulder during some of the most challenging times. He was humble, sincere, and deeply committed to the party’s ideology. Rising through the ranks, Vijaybhai served Gujarat as Chief Minister with great dedication.”

Rupani began his political career with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), later becoming an active worker of the Bharatiya Janata Party. His political rise was marked by key roles, including Mayor of Rajkot, Member of Rajya Sabha, Gujarat BJP President, and eventually the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2016 to 2021.

Known for his calm demeanor and administrative discipline, Rupani focused on infrastructure development, digital governance, and promoting industrial investment in Gujarat during his tenure. He was widely respected as a loyal party worker who carried out the BJP’s vision with humility and dedication.

The fatal Air India Dreamliner crash occurred shortly after takeoff when the aircraft slammed into a hostel building on the B.J. Medical College campus, triggering a massive explosion. All 241 people on board lost their lives in the tragic incident.