June 23, 2026 02:53 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
'Italy and I never beg': Meloni fires back at Trump over G7 photo claim | No more 'brother': Stalin's formal birthday greeting to Rahul reflects deepening rift | TMC seeks disqualification of 20 rebel MPs, Abhishek says 'membership should go' | Nara Lokesh pitches Andhra Pradesh as investment hub during Kolkata visit, sets $2.4 trillion economy goal | 'Least restrictive option': Setback for Telegram as Delhi HC backs Centre's ban ahead of NEET-UG re-test | Fortuner torched, BJP leaders burnt alive: Sand mining feud ends in triple murder in Chhattisgarh | 'If Modi is the leader and India is attacked, we'll be there': Trump's strong assurance at G7 | 'Safety of Indian seafarers of utmost importance': PM Modi's strong message to Trump at G7 | Trump says Iran deal 'not final', threatens fresh strikes if Tehran ‘doesn’t behave’ | G7 declares war on global drug cartels, unveils major anti-trafficking plan
Rajiv Gandhi | Sanjay Gandhi
Image: Rajiv Gandhi with mother Indira Gandhi and brother Sanjay Gandhi/ credit: Wikimedia Commons

Sanjay Gandhi was warned by brother Rajiv against flying the plane he crashed in: Rahul

| @indiablooms | Sep 03, 2021, at 01:55 am

New Delhi/UNI: Sanjay Gandhi, the elder son of Indira Gandhi, was warned by Rajiv Gandhi that he should not fly the plane in which he crashed, leading to his death, Rahul Gandhi said in a video on Thursday.

In a video released on his official YouTube handle, Rahul Gandhi was seen taking a tour of a photo exhibition on Rajiv Gandhi at the Indian Youth Congress office.

He also talked about how he shares the passion for flying with his father.

Talking about risks involved in flying, he said: "Look if you’re a pilot. That's a risk you take. You take it. So, my father told my uncle..."

"Because my uncle was flying a particular type of plane - it was a Pitts. It's a very aggressive plane. My father told him that you know, don't do this. My uncle really didn't have the experience. My uncle had similar hours to what I have about 300-350 hours. And, he shouldn’t have been flying that plane. And, he flew it. And that's what happens when you don't have the experience and you fly. It's easy to kill yourself," Rahul Gandhi said.

Sanjay Gandhi was flying a S-2A Pitts aircraft which crashed killing him on June 23, 1980.

Gandhi revealed that he is also a trained pilot, and he learnt flying when he was in college.

"When I was in College I learnt how to fly. I remember we once went to Jaipur, Udaipur and then we went to Bombay and then we went to Srinagar as well," he said.

He said the DC 3 was his and Rajiv Gandhi's favourite plane. He also said that one of the big regrets Rajiv Gandhi had was leaving flying.

"One of his big regrets was that he left the airline and couldn't fly the bigger jets," Rahul Gandhi added.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.