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The death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar successful a level clang connected Wednesday (January 28, 2026) greeting revived flashbacks of a mid-air tragedy, successful which a Union Minister of State from Tamil Nadu and 3 elder Army officers were killed, 28 years ago.
Ajit Pawar level clang LIVE | Maharashtra announces three-day mourning
On the greeting of November 14, 1997, N.V.N. Somu, Union Minister of State for Defence successful the I.K. Gujral Government and a well-known DMK commercialized national leader, had telephoned his woman Uma Devi. “I volition beryllium astatine location tonight,” helium told her from Arunachal Pradesh. He asked her to work retired the important reports from the section newspapers and requested her to archer their son-in-law to walk the nighttime astatine his residence successful Purasawalkam successful Chennai.
N.V.N. Somu. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
Moments later, Somu boarded a helicopter. The chopper, besides carrying Major General Ramesh Nagpaul and 2 Army pilots, Major P.K. Agarwal and Major P.C. Sharma, took disconnected successful the Lungar Sector, northbound of Mago successful Tawang district. Five minutes aft take-off, astir 9.10 a.m., the chopper crashed, sidesplitting each 4 occupants.
Somu, who represented the Madras North parliamentary constituency, had gone to the borderline districts successful the Northeast for an inspection of Army units. He planned to permission for Calcutta from Tezpur and instrumentality to Chennai by formation the aforesaid nighttime and enactment the pursuing time arsenic main impermanent successful the National Book Week Celebrations.
“On this scheduled travel to his hometown, helium was to person formally requested the Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, to constitute a foreword for a projected work connected his father, the precocious N.V. Natarajan, 1 of the founder-members of the DMK. News of the clang came arsenic a bolt from the bluish for his household and friends successful the metropolis astir noon,” said a study successful The Hindu dated November 15, 1997.
Five helicopters were sent connected a hunt ngo instantly aft vigor interaction was mislaid with the chopper carrying Somu.
The Prime Minister of India, I.K. Gujral, his wife, Sheila Gujral, erstwhile Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, aft placing wreaths connected the coffin of N.V.N. Somu, killed successful a chopper clang successful Arunachal Pradesh, successful Chennai connected November 15, 1997. | Photo Credit: PTI
“The wreckage of the chopper and the bodies of the Minister and different victims were discovered astatine an altitude of much than 4,000 metres successful a snow-bound country aft a prolonged search. Sources said atrocious upwind could person caused the crash. Immediately aft learning the quality of the tragedy, the Prime Minister, Mr. Inder Kumar Gujral, called up the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, and conveyed his condolences to the household members of Mr. Somu. The Prime Minister besides cancelled his scheduled sojourn to Mumbai,” a study said.
‘Wise and gentle’
Gujral described Somu arsenic a lukewarm and gentle person. “His views were ever constructive and were expressed successful the larger involvement of the country. I shall miss his omniscient counsel successful the Council of Ministers.”
A shocked Karunanidhi described Somu arsenic the 1 who “functioned arsenic the artery of the Dravidian movement” and his publication could ne'er beryllium forgotten. “He was the personification of emotion and compassion, a exemplary of simplicity and helium moved with everyone with brotherly affection. Death had abruptly engulfed specified a kind-hearted person,” Karunanidhi said.
N.V.N. Somu addressing a gathering arsenic the president of The Hindu Office Employees' Union successful Madras. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
Somu, incidentally, was besides the president of the commercialized national successful The Hindu for implicit 25 years.
On November 15, the General Officer Commanding, ATNKK and G Area. Major General. R.S. Nagra, received the mortal remains of the Union Minister astatine the Meenambakkam aged airport. Naval Officer in-charge Commodore A.K. Madan and Air Officer Commanding Tambaram IAF presumption Air Commodore P.N. Dew were besides present.
Amid a drizzle, thousands of mourners gathered astatine his location successful Purasawalkam and astatine the Brick Kiln Road cremation ground. The constabulary had a pugnacious clip controlling the assemblage that wanted to get person to the coffin. Business establishments successful Purasawalkam remained closed.
The Prime Minister, on with a big of elder politicians, including BJP person Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, TMC person G.K. Moopanar, and the chiefs of the 3 uniformed services paid homage to his mortal remains.
Chief Minister Karunanidhi's wife, Dayalammal, and others consoling the household of N.V.N. Somu. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
At the funeral, the Army presented a 21-gun salute and reversed arms and the assemblage was consigned to flames.
The past rites were performed by the Minister’s son. Dr. Thirumaran, who lit the pyre aft a little spiritual ceremony. Thousands of mourners stood successful soundlessness arsenic the Army buglers sounded the “Last Post.”
Somu’s girl Kanimozhi N.V.N. Somu is simply a subordinate of the Rajya Sabha representing the DMK.
