IAF officer bids farewell to husband killed in Tejas crash
What's the story
Wing Commander Afshan Akhtar on Sunday bid a tearful adieu to her husband, Wing Commander Namansh Syal, who died in a Tejas fighter jet crash at the Dubai Air Show. The incident occurred on November 21, 2025. His mortal remains were flown to his ancestral village, Patialkar, in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh for the last rites.
Community grief
IAF expresses condolences, villagers mourn loss
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has expressed its deepest condolences to Syal's family. Villagers of Patialkar also mourned his death. Pankaj Chadha, a local and Syal's schoolmate from Sainik School Sujanpur Tira, called him "the pride of our school." Another villager, Sandeep Kumar, said they were all heartbroken over the loss of their "younger brother."
Family memories
Syal's uncle recalls his sharp mind and academic excellence
Syal's uncle, Madan Lal, also mourned his loss, recalling him as a bright student who topped in school. "This is a huge loss for the nation," Lal told ANI. The IAF confirmed that Syal was killed when a HAL Tejas jet crashed during an aerial display at Dubai Air Show 2025 around 2:10pm local time.
Twitter Post
Watch Wing Commander Afshan pay last respects to husband
#WATCH | Himachal Pradesh: Wing Commander Afshan salutes her husband, Wing Commander Namansh Syal, as she pays her last respects to him.
— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2025
Wing Commander Namansh Syal lost his life in the LCA Tejas crash in Dubai on 21st November. pic.twitter.com/DPKwARut4r
Repatriation details
Mortal remains repatriated with full military honors
The IAF undertook a solemn repatriation of Syal's mortal remains with full military honors. His body was first taken to Sulur Air Force Base in Tamil Nadu by an IAF C-130 aircraft on November 23. From there, it was flown to his ancestral home in Kangra for the last rites. The IAF said a court of inquiry has been constituted to probe the cause of this tragic accident.