SHIMLA: Wing Commander Namansh Syal, who perished in the Tejas crash at Dubai Air Show on Friday, was a high flyer all his life - house captain in Sainik School, Academy Cadet Adjutant (ACC) at National Defence Academy (NDA), and an instructor with Indian Air Force (IAF), training the next generation of combat pilots.
The air warrior will be cremated at his ancestral village, Patialkar, in Kangra district's Nagrota Bagwan tehsil, on Sunday, his father Naib Subedar Jagan Nath (retd), an Army Medical Corps veteran, told TOI. In a tragic twist, the 71-year-old said he was searching for videos of his son's aerial acrobatics at the air show when news reports of the crash popped up. Speaking to TOI over phone from Sulur, the grief-stricken father said, "Then, officers from my son's squadron arrived to convey the tragic news."
When the family got the news, Namansh's wife, Wing Commander Afshan, was in Kolkata on a training course. Their six-year-old daughter was with her grandparents in Sulur, where Namansh was serving with No. 3 Squadron.
The high-achiever was an inspiration for hundreds not only in his hometown but also his alma mater, Sainik School Sujanpur Tira in Hamirpur district, and NDA. The school held a remembrance meet Saturday. He was part of the school's 21st batch, passing out in 2005. Group Captain Rachna Joshi, the school's principal, said: "Teachers here tell me he was exceptionally well in academics. Joining the school in Class IX and becoming the captain of Chenab House speaks volumes about him. He will continue to remain in our hearts forever as a braveheart," said the principal. His 'home' at NDA - Hunter Squadron - also held a remembrance meet.
After his Class XII, Namansh enrolled in National Institute of Technology , Hamirpur, but his heart was set on NDA. After his first semester, he cleared SSB and joined NDA 115th course in 2006. He was appointed academic cadet captain, and commanded NDA's passing-out parade in Nov 2008, earning the President's Silver Medal in overall merit. Commissioned as a fighter pilot in Dec 2009, he flew MiG-21 and Su-30MKI before getting into Tejas at Sulur AFS in Coimbatore. At Hakimpet, he was a flying instructor on the Kiran trainer.
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Sanjeev Verma is a Senior Assistant Editor covering Himachal Prad...
Read MoreSanjeev Verma is a Senior Assistant Editor covering Himachal Pradesh for The Times of India. His journalism experience spans across multiple states, including Punjab and Haryana, in addition to covering the Punjab and Haryana High Court, after an initial stint in Delhi. He navigates the realms of politics, security, public policy, finance, industries and commerce, rural development, legal affairs, environment, defence services welfare, and NRI affairs, with a focus on investigative journalism.
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