A solemn silence, broken only by muffled sobs and teary-eyed embraces, enveloped Jal Vayu Vihar in Powai in Mumbai as the body of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal returned home on Tuesday morning. The Air India pilot, who lost his life in last week’s crash of Flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, was brought back to the place where he grew up, lived, and was deeply loved.
His family members, friends, neighbours, and colleagues assembled in quiet reverence to bid a final goodbye. At the building’s temple, a prayer ritual was held where chants echoed softly under the weight of sorrow. In a moment that broke the hearts of many present, Sumeet’s 88-year-old father, visibly shattered, performed the prayer ritual, standing beside his son’s coffin, barely able to speak. Hundreds stood silently in line, many inconsolable, clasping hands and wiping tears as they walked past the casket.
“Very sad, a young life taken away. Unimaginable,” said veteran industrialist Niranjan Hiranandani, a longtime Powai resident who was at Sabharwal’s house to bid farewell to him. “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 prayer, the body was taken to Chakala electric crematorium for the final rites. Through the morning, over a thousand people visited to pay their respects, a testament to the quiet impact Captain Sabharwal had left on his community and profession.
Captain Sabharwal, aged 56, had logged over 8,200 hours of flying experience. According to preliminary reports, he issued a mayday shortly after takeoff, likely in an effort to steer the aircraft away from populated areas. It was a decision that may have saved countless lives on the ground-made in a moment of crisis.
“I flew with him for many decades,” said a former cabin crew colleague, holding back tears. “We shared meals, memories, and long hauls. He was a dedicated son and an incredibly skilled pilot. Always peaceful, composed, and grounded. Never flaunted his position, just a wonderful soul.”
Sumit was set to retire early to take care of his ailing father.
“He tried his best. He sacrificed his life to save others. I salute him,” said a close friend. Another, herself the wife of an Air India pilot, added: “Sumeet was a wonderful person. I can’t control my tears. He took such loving care of his father. So calm, so patient. We’ve lost a truly good human being.”
Among the mourners was Usha Talwadekar, a fellow cabin crew member. “He was always low-profile. A thorough gentleman. No ego, always smiling. Such a sweet person.”
Neighbours, many of whom had known him since childhood, spoke with trembling voices. “The family has been here for decades. He’s left a legacy of grace and courage,” said one. Another shared, “We didn’t speak much, but I know he must’ve done everything to save lives. He was a hero. I’m deeply disturbed.” A third added quietly, “You don’t expect an end like this. Prayers to the family; what a terrible loss.”
As the funeral procession found its way to the cremation ground, heads bowed and silence descended once more. There were no formal speeches, only the raw presence of loss, visible in the moist eyes of colleagues and the silent grief of family.
Captain Sabharwal’s final flight may have ended in tragedy, but his memory now soars in the hearts of those who knew him-a man of duty, dignity, and quiet courage.
