Ahmedabad Plane Crash: Hundreds Bid Tearful Farewell To Air India Captain In Powai, Demand Unbiased Probe

While the nation mourns the loss of 241 souls killed in the Ahmedabad plane crash, Mumbai’s Powai locality covered itself in an eerie silence on Tuesday morning as the mortal remains of Captain Sumit Sabharwal reached his residence. With teary eyes and a lump in the throat, people bid the final adieu to the captain with a feeling that only a fair investigation into the crash accident would be the right justice for the departed soul.

Sabharwal was the pilot-in-command of the London-bound AI-171 which crashed into a medical college’s hostel in Ahmedabad soon after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. He was one of the 12 crew members, including first pilot Clive Kunder, who lost their lives in the tragic accident killing 241 onboard.

The captain’s body was handed over to his family on Monday after the DNA tests identified his mortal remains. On Tuesday morning, his body was brought to his residence in Powai’s Jal Vayu Vihar, a society largely inhabited by air force and navy veterans. Hundreds of people, including Sabharwal’s family, friends, relatives, neighbours, co-workers as well as local politicians and police personnel gathered to pay their last respects to the Captain, who was known to be a kind, gentle and loving person.

At the funeral, one of his colleagues working at Air India, who did not wish to be named, said, “Sumit was one the finest pilots we had at Air India. Losing such a talented person is a loss to the airline as well as the aviator community. We wish that his soul rests in peace.” 

While his sister and other relatives live in Delhi, Sabharwal has left behind, at his Mumbai residence, a 92-year-old father Pushkaraj Sabharwal, who broke down as soon as he saw his son come back home, from yet another flight, in a wooden coffin. The elderly man, who once held the senior position of director with the country’s civil aviation watchdog Director General of Civil Aviation, would have never imagined that he would lose his son in one of the most tragic aviation accidents in the country’s history.

A former neighbour of the Sabharwals, Sudesh Singh, whose son is also a civil pilot, said, “A pilot is one of the first people to know that the flight is going to crash and everyone is going to die. I cannot imagine what he would have gone through in those few seconds before the crash. It is so difficult for a father to shoulder the coffin of his young son.”

Captain Sabharwal had lost his mother two years back and since he had an aged father alone at home, he was planning for an early retirement to look after him. However, only two days after he told his father that he wished to be with him, he lost his life in the tragic accident. While the mourners failed to say much cursing fate as the enemy, they believe that a fair investigation into the plane crash would be the justice he deserves.

Capt S Krishnamurthy, a retired Air Force pilot and a neighbour, recalled Sabharwal as someone with his father’s qualities like modesty, kindness and compassion. “He used to be loved by the kids in the society, whom he would often say God Bless You. We only wish that there are no cover-ups in the investigation and a fair report is prepared so that the departed soul can rest in peace.”

Air India’s Chief Operations Officer, Tata Group’s HR Head and Communications Head joined the family for a final salute to the Captain. The airline, in a statement, said that he was an exceptional aviator, a dedicated professional, and a beloved member of the Air India family.

“Captain Sabharwal’s unwavering commitment to the skies and his quiet strength on the ground earned him deep respect across the aviation fraternity. We stand in solidarity with his loved ones during this time of immense loss. His memory will continue to inspire us, and his legacy will forever be etched in the heart of Air India. RIP Captain. You will be missed,” read the statement.

Meanwhile, Senior crew member Aparna Mahadik's mortal remains reached her residence in Oberoi Square Society in Goregaon (E) from Ahmedabad late evening on Tuesday. Her final rites will be carried out at Goregaon Electric Cremation Ground on Wednesday. Mahadik's husband is a pilot with Air India and is the nephew of senior NCP leader and Member of Parliament Sunil Tatkare.