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In an emotional moment, Wing Commander Afshan stood beside her husband’s coffin and offered a final salute
Wing Commander Afshan Akhtar, wife of Wing Commander Namansh Syal, salutes as his mortal remains are brought to his ancestral home. (PTI photo)
Wing Commander Afshan on Sunday paid her final respects to her husband, Wing Commander Namansh Syal, who tragically lost his life in a Tejas fighter jet crash during the Dubai Air Show on November 21. His mortal remains were brought back to his ancestral village, Patialkar in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, where preparations were made for his last rites.
In an emotional moment, Wing Commander Afshan stood beside her husband’s coffin and offered a final salute, her eyes filled with tears as she bid him farewell.
#WATCH | Himachal Pradesh: Wing Commander Afshan salutes her husband, Wing Commander Namansh Syal, as she pays her last respects to him.Wing Commander Namansh Syal lost his life in the LCA Tejas crash in Dubai on 21st November. pic.twitter.com/DPKwARut4r
— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2025
Wing Commander Namansh Syal, aged 34, was known as a dedicated officer, a skilled fighter pilot and an exceptional athlete during his schooling years. He is survived by his wife Afshan, also an Indian Air Force officer, their six-year-old daughter Aarya, and his parents.
Residents from Patialkar and nearby areas came in large numbers to pay homage. Many remembered Namansh as humble, disciplined and inspiring.
His schoolmate, Pankaj Chadha, who studied with him at Sainik School Sujanpur Tira, said, “We have lost one of our gems. He was the pride of our school. We will go to his native village, Patialkar. He made all of us very proud.” Chadha added that he, along with others from the community, would accompany Namansh to his native village for his final journey.
Another villager, Sandeep Kumar, expressed his sorrow, saying, “Everyone in our village is sad. He was like our younger brother. This should not have happened. We do not have words. We met him 3-4 months ago when he visited our village.”
The Indian Air Force confirmed his death after the Tejas aircraft crashed and burst into flames during a demonstration at the Dubai Air Show 2025.
(With inputs from agencies)
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
Himachal Pradesh, India, India
November 23, 2025, 18:12 IST
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