Kangra (Himachal Pradesh) [India], November 23 (ANI): Wing Commander Afshan on Sunday paid her last respects to her husband, Wing Commander Namansh Syal, who tragically lost his life in a Tejas fighter jet crash during the Dubai Air Show. The crash occurred on November 21, 2025, and Namansh’s mortal remains were brought to his ancestral village of Patialkar in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, for the last rites.
Wing Commander Afshan saluted her husband as she bid him farewell with tears in her eyes. His last rites will be performed in his village. Namansh, a 34-year-old fighter pilot, was a dedicated officer and an accomplished athlete. He is survived by his wife, Afshan—also an IAF officer—their six-year-old daughter Aarya, and his parents. The Indian Air Force has expressed its deepest condolences to the bereaved family.
Villagers who gathered to have a final glimpse of Wing Commander Syal expressed profound grief over the loss of one of their brightest talents. Pankaj Chadha, who studied at the same schools as Syal, said, “I also studied in the same school as Namansh, Sainik School Sujanpur Tira. 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.”
Local resident Sandeep Kumar said, “We are from the same village as Namansh, Patialkar. 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 a Tejas aircraft crashed and burst into flames at the Dubai Air Show 2025 on Friday.
Earlier in the day, Wing Commander Namansh Syal’s uncle, Madan Lal, recalled his childhood and mourned his loss. “He was my nephew. The whole village is mourning and waiting for his mortal remains to arrive. The last rites will be performed today. This is a huge loss for the nation. He had a sharp mind and stood first in school,” he told ANI. (ANI)
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