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Journalism of Courage
Jagan Nath Syal, the father of Wing Commander Naman Syal who died in the Tejas fighter jet crash at Dubai Air Show Friday, was scrolling YouTube for videos of the air show when he saw reports about the deadly crash.
“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,” said Syal, a retired school principal from Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh.
Syal and his wife Veena Syal are currently at Naman’s house in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. He told The Indian Express over the phone they went from their village Patialkad in Kangra to Coimbatore two weeks ago to look after their seven-year-old granddaughter Aarya Syal. Their daughter-in-law is undergoing training in Kolkata, he said.
“Naman joined the defence forces after clearing the NDA exam in 2009. He completed his schooling from Primary School Dalhousie, Army Public School, YoL Cantt Dharamshala and Sainik School, Sujanpur Tira, in Himachal Pradesh. He was excellent in studies and dreamt big about his life. This incident left us completely shattered,” said the grieving father.
Naman’s mother Veena was not in a state to talk, he said. “I asked officers who came to inform me about… when his body will be brought back. They didn’t give a definite time, but hinted two days will be taken in the process.”
Expressing his condolences over the demise of Wing Commander Naman, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu posted on X, “The news of the tragic death of Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district’s brave son, Naman Syal ji, in the Tejas aircraft accident at the Dubai Air Show is extremely saddening and heartbreaking. The nation has lost a courageous, dutiful, and valiant pilot… I bow to the indomitable bravery, sense of duty, and dedication to national service of the brave son…”
Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, Hemraj Bairwa, said, “SDM Nagrota Bagwan Ashish Sharma is in contact with the family of the fighter pilot. We figured out the address of the family of Naman Syal, native of Patialkad village at Nagrota Bagwan, when news spread about his death.
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