'His dignified persona...': Indian Air Force’s heartfelt tribute to Wing Commander Namansh Syal killed in Tejas crash

The Indian Air Force has paid tribute to Wing Commander Namansh Syal who passed away a day ago when a Tejas fighter jet crashed during the Dubai Air Show. The IAF remembered his legacy as that of "courage, devotion and honour". Wing Commander Namansh Syal was flying the Tejas fighter jet on Friday when it plunged to the ground during a negative-G maneuver, erupting into a massive fireball on impact. The Wing Commander was a resident of Nagrota Bagwan in Himachal Pradesh and schooling at Sainik School, Sujanpur Tira, in Hamirpur district. He is survived by his aged parents, his wife — an Indian Air Force officer — and their six-year-old daughter.

"A dedicated fighter pilot and thorough professional, he served the nation with unwavering commitment, exceptional skill and an unyielding sense of duty. His dignified persona earned him immense respect through a life devoted to service, and was visible in the send-off attended by UAE officials, colleagues, friends, and the officials of the Indian Embassy," an IAF statement read. The IAF has also instituted a court of inquiry to ascertain the cause of the accident.

Earlier, his father Jagan Nath Syal said he was searching for his son’s videos at the Dubai Air Show on YouTube when he learned about the tragic crash. Speaking to the Indian Express, Jagan Nath Sya said, “I last spoke to my son yesterday. He told me to see his performance during the air show on TV channels or YouTube. Around 4 pm today, I was searching videos of the ongoing air show in Dubai on YouTube when I saw reports about the plane crash. Immediately, I called my daughter-in-law, who is also a Wing Commander, to check what happened. Moments later, at least six Air Force officers arrived at our house and I realised something bad happened to my son."