Wing Commander Namansh Syal’s mortal remains brought to native village after Dubai air show crash

Wing Commander Namansh Syal died on November 21 after the Tejas LCA he was flying lost control, plunged and caught fire.

Updated on: Nov 23, 2025, 17:04:08 IST

By HT News Desk

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The mortal remains of Wing Commander Namansh Syal, the Indian Air Force pilot who died in a Tejas fighter jet crash at the Dubai Air Show, arrived in his native Himachal Pradesh on Sunday.

Kangra: Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel bring mortal remains of Wing Commander Namansh Syal, who was killed during an aerial display at the Dubai Air show (PTI)

The IAF aircraft carrying his body landed at Kangra airport, from where it will be taken to his ancestral village in Nagrota Bagwan (Patiyalkar) for his final rites.

Before returning home, Wing Commander Syal’s body was flown to Sulur Air Force Station, near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. The Coimbatore District Collector, Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar, paid tribute by laying a wreath at the base, as IAF personnel and local officials honored the fallen pilot.

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Wing Commander Namansh Syal was killed on November 21 after the HAL-designed Tejas Light Combat Aircraft he was flying during a low-altitude aerial display at Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport lost control, plunged, and caught fire.

Eyewitness videos showed the jet nosediving before erupting into a massive fireball and thick black smoke. The Indian Air Force confirmed that Syal sustained fatal injuries in the crash and has ordered a court of inquiry to determine the cause. Syal, 34, hailed from Patiyalkar village in Nagrota Bagwan tehsil of Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district.

A former student of Sainik School Sujanpur Tira, he was commissioned into the IAF in December 2009. He is survived by his wife, also an IAF officer, their daughter, and his parents.

(Also Read: Tejas pilot's father found out about crash while scrolling videos of Dubai Airshow on YouTube )

The Air Force paid tribute to him as a “dedicated fighter pilot and thorough professional” known for his unwavering commitment and exceptional skill. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed grief over the loss, while public figures, including actor Kamal Haasan, also mourned him, calling him “a brave son of India taken far too soon.”

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