A profound silence enveloped Jal Vayu Vihar in Powai, Mumbai, as the body of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal returned home on Tuesday morning. The Air India pilot, who perished in last week’s AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad, was brought back to the neighborhood where he grew up and was deeply cherished.
Family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues gathered in solemn reverence to bid their final farewell. At the building’s temple, a prayer ritual echoed with soft chants, heavy with grief. The most heart-wrenching moment came as Captain Sabharwal’s 88-year-old father, visibly shattered, performed the prayer beside his son’s coffin. Hundreds queued silently, many inconsolable, to pay their respects.
Veteran industrialist Niranjan Hiranandani, a longtime Powai resident, summed up the community’s anguish: “Very sad, a young life taken away. Unimaginable. This is a thoughtful moment, we need to study this thoroughly. We cannot afford for lives to go like this again. The family is devastated. The only justice now is to ensure this moment leads to answers, to reforms. Safety and security must be a priority, not just in aviation, but in every sector.”
After the prayers, the body was taken to Chakala electric crematorium for the final rites. Throughout the morning, over a thousand people visited, reflecting the quiet impact Captain Sabharwal had on his community and profession.
Aged 56, Sabharwal had logged more than 8,200 hours of flying. Preliminary reports suggest he issued a mayday after takeoff, likely steering the aircraft away from populated areas—a decision that may have saved countless lives.
Colleagues and friends remembered him as a dedicated son, a skilled pilot, and a gentle soul. He was preparing for early retirement to care for his ailing father. “He tried his best. He sacrificed his life to save others. I salute him,” said a close friend, echoing the sentiments of many.
Captain Sabharwal’s final flight ended in tragedy, but his legacy of duty, dignity, and courage will endure in the hearts of all who knew him.