'Worked together, shoulder to shoulder...': PM Narendra Modi pays tributes to close aide Vijay Rupani
Rupani, 68, was among the 242 passengers aboard a Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed into a residential area in Meghani Nagar shortly after takeoff on June 12 afternoon. The accident claimed all lives on board.
- Jun 13, 2025,
- Updated Jun 13, 2025 2:58 PM IST
On June 13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the grieving family of Vijay Rupani, a former Gujarat Chief Minister and longtime political associate. Modi, visibly moved, reflected on their decades-long camaraderie, calling Rupani a “humble and hardworking” leader who stood by him during the state's most trying times.
“It is unimaginable that Vijaybhai is not in our midst. I’ve known him for decades. We worked together, shoulder to shoulder, including during some of the most challenging times. Vijaybhai was humble and hardworking, firmly committed to the Party's ideology. Rising up the ranks, he held various responsibilities in the Organisation and went on to serve diligently as Gujarat’s Chief Minister,” Modi posted on X.
Rupani, 68, was among the 242 passengers aboard a Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed into a residential area in Meghani Nagar shortly after takeoff on June 12 afternoon. The accident claimed all lives on board.
Born in Yangon, Myanmar, to Mayaben and Ramniklal Rupani, Vijay Rupani was the youngest of seven siblings in a Jain Bania family. Political unrest in Burma forced the family to relocate to Rajkot in 1960. He pursued higher education in Arts from Dharmendrasinhji Arts College and later earned a law degree from Saurashtra University.
Rupani’s entry into public life began with the Rajkot Municipal Corporation as a corporator in 1987. He went on to serve as Mayor of Rajkot (1996–1997), a Rajya Sabha MP (2006–2012), and a state cabinet minister before assuming the role of Gujarat's 16th Chief Minister in 2016. He held the position until 2021.
Known for his quiet demeanor, Rupani maintained a low profile even as he rose steadily within the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. His ascent to the top post in Gujarat politics was marked by years of organizational groundwork and consistent party loyalty.
This tragic event marks the second time a sitting or former Gujarat Chief Minister has died in an aviation incident. In 1965, Balwantrai Mehta, the state’s second CM, was killed when the Pakistani Air Force shot down his aircraft during the Indo-Pak war.
On June 13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the grieving family of Vijay Rupani, a former Gujarat Chief Minister and longtime political associate. Modi, visibly moved, reflected on their decades-long camaraderie, calling Rupani a “humble and hardworking” leader who stood by him during the state's most trying times.
“It is unimaginable that Vijaybhai is not in our midst. I’ve known him for decades. We worked together, shoulder to shoulder, including during some of the most challenging times. Vijaybhai was humble and hardworking, firmly committed to the Party's ideology. Rising up the ranks, he held various responsibilities in the Organisation and went on to serve diligently as Gujarat’s Chief Minister,” Modi posted on X.
Rupani, 68, was among the 242 passengers aboard a Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed into a residential area in Meghani Nagar shortly after takeoff on June 12 afternoon. The accident claimed all lives on board.
Born in Yangon, Myanmar, to Mayaben and Ramniklal Rupani, Vijay Rupani was the youngest of seven siblings in a Jain Bania family. Political unrest in Burma forced the family to relocate to Rajkot in 1960. He pursued higher education in Arts from Dharmendrasinhji Arts College and later earned a law degree from Saurashtra University.
Rupani’s entry into public life began with the Rajkot Municipal Corporation as a corporator in 1987. He went on to serve as Mayor of Rajkot (1996–1997), a Rajya Sabha MP (2006–2012), and a state cabinet minister before assuming the role of Gujarat's 16th Chief Minister in 2016. He held the position until 2021.
Known for his quiet demeanor, Rupani maintained a low profile even as he rose steadily within the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. His ascent to the top post in Gujarat politics was marked by years of organizational groundwork and consistent party loyalty.
This tragic event marks the second time a sitting or former Gujarat Chief Minister has died in an aviation incident. In 1965, Balwantrai Mehta, the state’s second CM, was killed when the Pakistani Air Force shot down his aircraft during the Indo-Pak war.