For former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, the number ‘1206’ was more than just a number. It was a part of his life for many years, both in public and private. He had it on his scooter when he was young and later on his official car as Chief Minister. The long-time BJP leader believed ‘1206’ brought him good luck.
But sadly, on June 12, 2025 or 12/06, that same number became the date he died, in a cruel twist of fate.
Mr. Rupani, 68 years old, was one of the 242 people on Air India Flight AI171. The flight crashed just moments after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. It was heading to London’s Gatwick Airport. The plane crashed into a hostel building at a medical college in the Meghani Nagar area at 1:40 PM, causing a huge fire.
He was going to London to visit his wife and daughter but unfortunately, he never reached them.
His name was listed on the flight in seat 2D. Later, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed that the former chief minister was among those who died in the crash.
His name was listed on the flight in seat 2D. Later, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu
12/06: The Number That Defined and Ended Vijay Rupani’s Journey
The crash happened on the 12th day of the 6th month- 12/06- a number that had special meaning for Mr. Rupani. His friends, family, and party members said it was a personal symbol for him.
Photos from his home in Rajkot show his vehicles still carrying the number 1206 on their license plates, a number he used throughout his public life. BJP leaders, including Gujarat state party president C.R. Patil, pointed out the sad coincidence.
“Our leader and former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was going to London to visit his family. He also lost his life in this tragic incident. May his soul rest in peace. This is a big loss for the BJP,” Mr. Patil said.
About The Deadly Crash
The flight, which was operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on June 12, 2025, carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national.
The passenger plane crashed near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad into a resident doctors’ hostel building shortly after take-off.
The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with 8,200 hours of flying experience, assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 flying hours. According to Air Traffic Control (ATC), the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23.
It made a Mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, the aircraft did not respond to the calls made by ATC. Immediately after departing from Runway 23, the aircraft fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter.
About Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani
Mr. Vijay Rupani was the 16th Chief Minister of Gujarat, serving from August 2016 to September 2021.
He was born in Rangoon (now called Yangon), Burma, in 1956. His family moved to Rajkot in the 1960s because of political problems in Southeast Asia. He started his political journey as a student activist and later became a municipal corporator (city council member) in Rajkot in 1987. Over the next 30 years, he held many important roles, including minister for transport, water supply, and labour.
Although he stepped down as Chief Minister in September 2021 to make way for Bhupendra Patel, as part of BJP’s plan before the state elections, Mr. Rupani stayed involved in the party. He worked as a senior advisor in the Gujarat BJP and was often asked for advice on state policies and election strategies.
