Coimbatore Bids Farewell to Tejas Pilot Wing Commander Namansh Syal
Coimbatore bids tearful farewell to fallen IAF ace after Dubai crash.
In a sombre ceremony steeped in military tradition, Coimbatore paid its final respects on Sunday morning to Wing Commander Namansh Syal, the accomplished Indian Air Force pilot who tragically lost his life when his LCA Tejas fighter jet crashed during the Dubai Air Show on Friday, marking a profound loss for the nation and the indigenous fighter programme.
The mortal remains of the 33-year-old officer, draped in the national tricolour, were received at Sulur Air Force Station late Saturday night by an IAF transport aircraft from the United Arab Emirates. Early Sunday, senior officers escorted the casket to the base parade ground where Coimbatore District Collector Pavan Kumar G Giriyappanavar and Superintendent of Police K Karthikeyan joined serving personnel in laying floral tributes, honouring the courage and dedication of a pilot who proudly flew India’s homegrown combat aircraft on an international stage.
A full guard of honour was accorded by the No. 45 Squadron — the prestigious “Flying Daggers” unit to which Wing Commander Syal belonged and which operates the LCA Tejas from Sulur — as fellow airmen stood in silent salute while the IAF band played the Last Post, a poignant moment that underscored the deep bond within the fighter pilot community and the heavy price paid in defence of the nation.
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After the solemn rites, the casket was reverently placed aboard another IAF aircraft for the final journey to Wing Commander Syal’s hometown in Himachal Pradesh, where his family awaits to perform the last rites. The officer leaves behind his wife, Wing Commander Afsaan Syal, who also serves at the same Sulur base, adding an extra layer of grief to a station that now mourns one of its own.
The tragic incident has cast a shadow over the ongoing Dubai Air Show and prompted an immediate high-level inquiry, even as tributes pour in from across the country for a skilled aviator whose final flight exemplified India’s growing prowess in aerospace while reminding the nation of the extraordinary risks undertaken daily by its air warriors in service of the motherland.
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