Considered quitting Air India job to look after father—family, friends remember Capt Sumeet Sabharwal

The Print

17-06-2025

The casket carrying the remains of Sumeet Sabharwal, who was 55, was brought in from Ahmedabad to his apartment in Jal Vayu Vihar by his nephews earlier Tuesday morning. His 88-year-old father, Pushkaraj, leaning heavily on his walking stick, along with the rest of the captain's family—his sister, her husband, her two sons, and a daughter-in-law—paid their respects.
Amid police security, friends and family members broke down into tears after seeing the remains of the captain, whose body was placed in the society's complex area before being taken for the final rites.
Mumbai: Jal Vayu Vihar Sector 4, in Mumbai's Powai area, was sombre Tuesday as the society gathered to say their final goodbye to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the pilot of Air India-171 that crashed in Ahmedabad last week.
Maal Singh, 68, a neighbour, said he was still in shock. 'We have known each other for a very long time. Mostly, we used to meet each other when Sumeet used to take his father out for walks in the society complex. He was a very polite and calm person. We are still in shock over what has happened.'
He said Sumeet was a family man and used to take care of his ageing father. He had been extra attentive since Sumeet's mother passed away 2 years ago.
Businessman Niranjan Hiranandani and local MLA Dilip Lande were among those who visited the Sabharwal residence to pay their respects.
A guard, who did not wish to be named, told ThePrint that people had started pouring in from 6 am onwards. 'The complex started filling in from 6 am onwards. Even media persons, huge police security, big officers from the police force were present. A lot of them from neighbouring societies also came.'
At around 9:45 am, the body was taken for last rites, which were performed at an electric crematorium in suburban Chakala in the presence of family members. The family members left the crematorium around 11 am.
Captain Sumeet was the pilot of flight AI-171 to London that crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad. 241 people aboard—229 passengers and 12 crew members—were killed, with only a sole person, a passenger, surviving. Investigations into the cause of the crash are still ongoing.
Remembered as a polite & smiling man
Sanjay Singh, his neighbour and friend, told ThePrint that earlier, Sumeet used to stay in Delhi, while his parents stayed in Mumbai.
However, in 2022, when his mother passed away, Sumeet shifted base to Mumbai to take care of his father.
'He was a doting son. He cared about his family a lot. Whenever he was around, he would not miss a single session of taking his father down for a walk. We used to all meet and greet in society,' said Sanjay Singh.
'In fact, even the day before the accident, I met Sumeet in the complex. He was wearing a simple t-shirt and shorts, and was just a regular and smiling fellow. His father, Pushkaraj, was the senior most in our society, and all of us used to take his blessings,' he added.
His friends remember him as a caring and polite person. At one point, Sumeet had even discussed quitting his Air India flying job to take up a regular job so he could take care of his father.
'He was a thorough gentleman and a dedicated person. I am just in tears even thinking about him. He used to live in the building next to mine. A soul departed too soon. When I heard about the news, I couldn't believe it,' said 68-year-old neighbour Ratan Lal Singh.
His friends, whom ThePrint spoke to, recalled how the father went completely numb after hearing the news of the demise of his son. He is still in shock and is quiet, not in a condition to speak.
'What can he do? It is the biggest tragedy for any father. Normally, a son performs last rites for a father, but here, a father has to see his son depart before him,' said Sanjay Singh.
(Edited by Sanya Mathur)
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