Vijay Rupani's body identified through DNA match
What's the story
Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani's body was identified on Sunday after a DNA match at 11:10am. His body was handed over to the family.
Rupani was among the 242 people on board the Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
However, flying to London on June 12 to meet his wife and daughter wasn't Rupani's first choice.
He had initially booked a ticket for May 19 but canceled it and decided to fly on June 5 instead.
Flight details
Flight AI 171 took off from Ahmedabad and crashed
Rupani finally booked seat number 2D on flight AI 171 for June 12.
The aircraft took off from Ahmedabad and crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel building, near the airport.
CCTV footage revealed that the plane was airborne for a mere 32 seconds before crashing, resulting in a massive fireball that engulfed the hostel building.
Political career
Rupani's political career
Rupani was Gujarat's 16th Chief Minister from August 2016 to September 2021.
He was born in Rangoon (now Yangon), Burma, in 1956 and moved with his family to Rajkot in the 1960s due to political turmoil in Southeast Asia.
Starting as a student activist, he became a municipal corporator in Rajkot in 1987.
Over three decades, he held various administrative and legislative positions, including transport, water supply, and labor minister.
BJP involvement
Minister in Modi's cabinet
From 2006-2012, Rupani was a Rajya Sabha member. In 2014, he became a minister in the Gujarat government, a position he held until 2016 when he took over as CM.
He resigned before the assembly elections to facilitate the BJP's leadership overhaul. Despite this, Rupani remained active in party affairs, serving as a senior adviser to the party's Gujarat unit and advising on state policy and election matters.
Symbolic significance
Number '1206' considered symbol of good fortune by Rupani
The number '1206' was considered a symbol of good fortune by Rupani, who used it on his car, scooter, and official vehicle number plate as CM.
Tragically, it became a grim reminder of his untimely demise on June 12 (12/06).
Friends, family, and party colleagues say he had a personal connection with the date.