For decades, the number 1206 had followed him like a talisman. It adorned every vehicle he owned—from his early scooters in Rajkot to his official car as chief minister. Friends and family would smile knowingly whenever they saw his signature number. But on that fateful Thursday, 12/06, the symbol of good fortune turned into a haunting epitaph.
Rupani, 68, was en route to London to visit his daughter and wife, Anjaliben, herself an active BJP member. He was seated in 2D when the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plunged into a hostel block at a medical college in Ahmedabad’s Meghaninagar area. The crash occurred just 33 seconds after takeoff, setting off a fireball that reduced the area to rubble.
His death has sent ripples of grief through Gujarat and the BJP. “Our leader and former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is no more. He was going to meet his family. It’s an irreplaceable loss,” BJP state president CR Patil said, his voice heavy with emotion.
Photographs from Rupani’s Rajkot home show vehicles still bearing the 1206 plate—a quiet, frozen moment in a life that once bustled with political vision and public service.
Born in Rangoon and raised in Rajkot, Rupani’s journey from a student activist to Gujarat’s 16th Chief Minister was marked by resilience and quiet strength. He guided the state through the COVID-19 aftermath, launched key industrial policies, and championed tribal welfare.
Though he stepped down in 2021, Rupani remained a guiding force in the party. His passing, on a date that once signified luck, is now a solemn reminder of life’s unpredictability.
For those who knew him, the number 1206 will forever hold a different meaning—of legacy, of service, and a life tragically cut short.
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