Notable Figures Who Died in Plane and Helicopter Crashes in India

India has experienced multiple disastrous airplane accidents that involved famous people throughout its history. The incidents involved both airplane and helicopter crashes.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar

The aircraft that carried Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed at Baramati airport on Wednesday morning. He died in the accident. The sudden death of this key political leader caused widespread shock.

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani

The airplane crash that occurred last year in Ahmedabad Gujarat resulted in the death of former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. He became Gujarat Chief Minister for two terms from 2016 until 2021. The plane had 242 passengers yet only one person managed to survive the incident. The airplane crashed into a hostel which resulted in the deaths of 19 additional individuals.

Nuclear Scientist Homi Jehangir Bhabha

Homi Jehangir Bhabha who established India’s nuclear program died in a crash on January 24 1966. Air India Flight 101 crashed on Mont Blanc in the Swiss Alps. The investigation found that pilot mistakes and poor communication between the pilot and Geneva Air Traffic Control caused the crash.

Sanjay Gandhi

Sanjay Gandhi died in a plane crash on June 23 1980. He lost control of an aircraft while performing aerobatics near Safdarjung Airport in Delhi.

Madhavrao Scindia

Senior Congress leader and former Civil Aviation Minister Madhavrao Scindia died in a plane crash on September 30, 2001. His 10-seater plane crashed during an election campaign flight to Kanpur Uttar Pradesh because of dangerous weather conditions.

GMC Balayogi

GMC Balayogi who served as Lok Sabha Speaker and TDP leader died in a helicopter crash on March 3 2002. The helicopter departed from Bhimavaram Andhra Pradesh and crashed near Kaikaluru in Krishna district.

Cyprian Sangma and Others

On September 22 2004 Cyprian Sangma who served as the Minister of Meghalaya died together with nine other passengers when their Pawan Hans helicopter crashed near Barapani Lake which is situated close to Shillong Assam.

Actress Soundarya

The film actress Soundarya died on April 17 2004 when a single-engine Cessna-180 aircraft crashed. The aircraft departed Jakkur Airfield in Bengaluru to fly toward Karimnagar in Telangana. She died with three other passengers because the aircraft crashed shortly after it took off. Soundarya was 32 and pregnant at the time.

Industrialist Om Prakash Jindal

The Haryana minister Om Prakash Jindal died when a helicopter crashed on March 31 2005. He traveled on a helicopter with minister Surinder Singh from Delhi to Chandigarh. The helicopter crashed near Saharanpur Uttar Pradesh which resulted in their deaths.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu

A helicopter crash on April 30 2011 resulted in the deaths of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu and four other people. The helicopter lost control during its flight between Tawang and Itanagar which is located in West Kameng district.

India’s First Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat

General Bipin Rawat passed away on December 8 2021 as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff. He and his wife together with 11 other people were flying in a helicopter from Sulur to Wellington when it crashed close to Coonoor.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy

Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy died on September 2 2009 in a Bell 430 helicopter crash. He piloted the helicopter above the Nallamala forests when bad weather conditions made it impossible to control the aircraft.

The accidents demonstrate how air travel presents dangers to both government officials and ordinary citizens who travel by plane.