The former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who died in a tragic plane crash on Thursday. Umed Rupani, elder brother of Vijay Rupani, and his wife, Daksha, flew from Kolkata to Ahmedabad on Friday afternoon to attend his final rites.
Read more: “Tragic Farewell” — Ex-Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani Dies in Air India Tragedy
A family member, Sailesh Rupani, who lives on Harish Chatterjee Street in Kolkata, said that other relatives will soon travel to Gujarat for a condolence meeting once the date is decided.
Three of Vijay Rupani’s elder brothers and their families have been living in Kolkata for nearly 40 years. Because of these deep family ties, Vijay Rupani often visited the city. Even when he was the Chief Minister, he had come to Kolkata after the passing of another brother, Chandrakant.
The Gujarati community in Kolkata is deeply saddened by the Ahmedabad plane crash, which claimed 274 lives, many of whom were from Gujarat. On Friday, members of the Shree Hansraj Laxmichand Kamani Jain Bhawan (KJB) on Ray Street held a special meeting to plan a condolence programme for Sunday.
“We will pay our respects to the lives lost and observe a minute of silence,” said Ketan Doshi, the secretary of KJB. He also mentioned that Vijay Rupani’s death is a big loss for the Jain community, calling him a kind and peaceful person who cared for all living beings.
Vijay Rupani had visited the KJB temple in both 2017 and 2023. During his last visit, he participated in an important Jain ritual called ‘Samvatsari Pratikraman,’ which is a time for asking forgiveness and promoting peace and humility.
KJB trustee member Naverlal Patel recalled Vijay Rupani as a simple man who was fully dedicated to serving the public.
Meanwhile, the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Kolkata also held a prayer meeting on Thursday evening and plans to hold another special prayer this Sunday at all its centres around the world.
Sadhu Akshar Nandan Das, head of the temple in Kolkata, shared his condolences: “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and everyone affected by this heartbreaking tragedy.”
