Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani died in a tragic plane crash near Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon. He was 68 years old. According to Union Minister C.R. Patil, Rupani was among the 242 people on board an Air India flight that crashed near the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
The ill-fated aircraft, flight AI 171, was headed to London. It was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese passengers, and one Canadian national. The flight also had two pilots and ten cabin crew members.
Vijay Rupani served as Gujarat’s chief minister from 2016 to 2021. He was elected to the Gujarat Assembly from Rajkot West and became a well-respected leader known for his calm personality and strong leadership. His political journey began during his college days when he joined the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). He actively participated in several student movements.
In 1975, he was jailed for one year in Bhavnagar for protesting during the Emergency. Rupani’s formal entry into politics came in 1987 when he was elected as a corporator in the Rajkot Municipal Corporation. He later became the mayor of Rajkot.
From 2006 to 2012, Rupani served as a member of the Rajya Sabha. His time as Gujarat’s CM saw the launch of the Industrial Policy 2020 and several schemes focused on uplifting tribal communities. He stepped down from the Chief Minister’s post in 2021, just before the state elections, paving the way for Bhupendra Patel.
His sudden death has shocked the political world and the people of Gujarat. He is remembered not only as a leader but also as a humble and dedicated public servant who spent his life working for the betterment of the state and its people.Tools
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