Wing Commander Sahil Gandhi cremated with full state honours

Bengaluru/Hisar: The mortal remains of Wing Commander Sahil Gandhi, who was killed in the mid-air crash between two aircraft of Indian Air Force’s aerobatic team Surya Kiran near Bengaluru, were consigned to the flames with full state honours here on Thursday. 

Rayan, a five-year-old son of the deceased, lit the pyre. A large number of people, including leaders of various political parties, senior civil and police officers joined the funeral procession that started from his house in Police Line Area (PLA) here. 

Two aircraft of IAF’s aerobatic team Surya Kiran had crashed after grazing each other mid-air near Bengaluru on Tuesday, killing Sahil and injuring two pilots who ejected to safety during rehearsal for the Aero India show.

Earlier, the mortal remains of Sahil arrived here this morning on Hisar airport by an Air Force helicopter. Some IAF officers also accompanied the mortal remains. Those who were present at the cremation included Dushyant Chautala MP, Rajya Sabha member D P Vats, former minister Savitri Jindal and Kamal Gupta, MLA. 

The IAF officer is survived by wife Himani and five-year-old son Rayan. Sahil’s father Madan Mohan Gandhi is a retired bank officer while his mother Sudesh Gandhi retired recently as Head of Department of College of Home Sciences of Haryana Agricultural University (HAU). Sahil studied in Campus School of HAU and joined the Air Force in 2004, family members here said.