The Tragic Discovery on YouTube
In a heartbreaking turn of events, Jagan Nath Syal, the retired school principal from Kangra district, was eagerly searching YouTube for videos of his pilot son's performance at the Dubai Air Show when he stumbled upon devastating news. Instead of witnessing his son's aerial excellence, he encountered reports about a fatal Tejas fighter jet crash that would forever change his life.
Wing Commander Naman Syal, the brave son from Himachal's Kangra district, had spoken to his father just a day before the tragic incident. "He told me to see his performance during the air show on TV channels or YouTube," recalled the grieving father during a phone conversation with The Indian Express.
A Family's World Shattered
The timeline of events paints a poignant picture of how the family learned about their unimaginable loss. Around 4 PM on Friday, November 21, 2025, while scrolling through YouTube videos of the ongoing Dubai Air Show, Jagan Nath Syal encountered the crash reports. His immediate reaction was to contact his daughter-in-law, who also serves as a Wing Commander in the Indian Air Force.
"Moments later, at least six Air Force officers arrived at our house and I realized something bad happened to my son," Syal shared, describing the moment his worst fears were confirmed. The family had been staying at Naman's residence in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, having traveled from their native village Patialkad in Kangra two weeks earlier to care for their seven-year-old granddaughter Aarya Syal.
Remembering a Distinguished Career
Wing Commander Naman Syal had embarked on his military journey after successfully clearing the NDA examination in 2009. His educational foundation was built across several prestigious institutions in Himachal Pradesh, including Primary School Dalhousie, Army Public School in YoL Cantt Dharamshala, and Sainik School in Sujanpur Tira.
According to his father, Naman was an exceptional student who dreamed big about his life and dedicated himself to serving the nation. The sudden loss has left the entire family completely shattered, with Naman's mother Veena Syal being particularly distraught and unable to speak about the tragedy.
Official Response and Recovery Process
When Air Force officers arrived to formally inform the family, Jagan Nath Syal inquired about when his son's body would be brought back home. While the officers couldn't provide a definite timeline, they indicated that the process would likely take approximately two days.
The tragedy has drawn responses from highest levels of administration. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed his condolences through a social media post, describing the news as "extremely saddening and heartbreaking." He paid tribute to Naman Syal as "a courageous, dutiful, and valiant pilot" whose loss represents a significant blow to the nation.
Local administration in Kangra has also mobilized support, with Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa confirming that SDM Nagrota Bagwan Ashish Sharma has established contact with the grieving family. The administration identified the family's location in Patialkad village at Nagrota Bagwan as news about the pilot's tragic demise spread throughout the region.
The incident has cast a shadow over the Dubai Air Show, where the Tejas aircraft, India's indigenous light combat aircraft, was participating in demonstrations. The crash not only represents a personal tragedy for the Syal family but also marks a significant moment for the Indian Air Force and the defense community at large.
