Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among the 242 people killed when Air India flight AI171, bound for London, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday, June 12, 2025.
Union Minister C.R. Patil confirmed Rupani’s death, making him the second Chief Minister from Gujarat to die in a plane crash. The ill-fated Boeing 787 Dreamliner went down minutes after leaving Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, striking a residential area near Meghani Nagar.
Rupani, 68, had served as Gujarat’s 16th Chief Minister from August 2016 to September 2021, taking over from Anandiben Patel and later succeeded by Bhupendra Patel. A loyalist of Home Minister Amit Shah, he rose rapidly in the BJP ranks, serving previously as state BJP president, state minister, and Rajkot West MLA.
Born in Rangoon (Yangon), Burma, and a lifelong RSS swayamsevak, Rupani was first jailed during the Emergency and had remained deeply connected to the Hindutva movement throughout his political career. He was also a Rajya Sabha MP from 2006 to 2012.
Scenes of mourning unfolded at his residence in Rajkot as political leaders and supporters gathered to pay their respects. The BJP leadership is expected to issue an official statement and tribute shortly.
The crash has shocked the nation, as rescue and recovery operations continue near the crash site. Investigations are ongoing, and all flights out of Ahmedabad airport have been suspended.
