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Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani’s death in a plane crash deeply affected his friends. College friends Jyotindra Mehta and Mansurbhai Jasdanwala shared emotional tributes
The 12 friends, June 12—the crash date—and Rupani’s seat number 12 formed a striking coincidence. (Local18)
After the death of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani in the Ahmedabad plane crash, memories of his life and long-standing friendships have resurfaced. His old college friends, Jyotindra Mehta and Mansurbhai Jasdanwala, paid tribute to the late leader, recalling their time together with deep emotion.
From the memories of the group called “Dirty Dozen”—12 close friends of the late Vijay Rupani—to the transformation in him after the death of his son Pujit, Rupani’s simple yet impactful life is reflected through many such incidents.
Those 12 friends, the date—June 12, the day of the crash—and Rupani’s seat number 12 on the ill-fated flight together formed a striking coincidence that left his close circle reflecting deeply on the fragility and unpredictability of life.
After the confirmation of the death of former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, as everyone mourns the loss, an emotional video of his friend Jyotindra Mehta has surfaced.
In the video, Mehta says, “It is hard to believe that Vijaybhai is no longer with us. Vijaybhai was not just a Chief Minister, he was a common man in the truest sense. He treated everyone equally and always listened to people. He had been my friend since college days and was always ready to help others.”
“Our group of 12 friends, which was called the ‘Dirty Dozen’, used to meet every Uttarayan day. When Vijaybhai Rupani’s 3-year-old son Pujit Rupani died, Vijaybhai dedicated his life to social work. Vijaybhai’s wife Anjaliben and Vijaybhai would see Pujit in every small child and would reach out to help them as much as they could,” Mehta further said.
Jyotindra Mehta paid tribute to the late Vijay Rupani and offered condolences to the family.
Rupani’s group of 12 friends, formed in 1973, was widely known and cherished. Another close friend of the late Vijay Rupani, Mansurbhai Jasdanwala, also shared an emotional video, paying tribute to all those who lost their lives in the plane crash.
Rupani and Jasdanwala had been friends since their college days. Recalling this tragic incident, Mansurbhai grew emotional while remembering Vijaybhai.
“Vijaybhai’s sudden death is very sad. We have always been with him in his journey from college to CM. We 12 friends always lived together, and this number 12—June 12, the day Vijaybhai died, and his plane seat number 12—makes it a strange and emotional coincidence,” Jasdanwala shared.
Another friend of the late Vijay Rupani, Harishchandra Jadeja, while paying an emotional tribute to him, said, “We have many memories associated with Vijaybhai. Vijaybhai and I came together in 1969.”
“Vijaybhai has kept me close since childhood. He always used to talk to me about nationalism. Today, Vijaybhai is not with us. May God rest his soul. We have shared many moments together. When the Morbi disaster happened, we went together in a bus. In the evening, while returning from the relief work, the bus overturned—but not a single person was hurt. There are many such incidents in which we were together,” Jadeja shared.
Harishchandra Jadeja became emotional reminiscing about his memories with the Dirty Dozen group.
“When I had to undergo bypass surgery, he took me to Ahmedabad and stayed with me. I will never forget that—he made all the arrangements. I will always remain indebted to him. Vijaybhai Rupani was the one who made Rajkot vibrant. Whatever ups and downs Rajkot faced, he stood by it. Vijaybhai Rupani was always there to help anyone in distress,” he added.
- Location :
Gujarat, India, India
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