As white smoke rose from Captain Sumeet Sabharwal's funeral pyre, his colleagues from Air India bid a final farewell to their friend and hero 'Sabby'. The somber mood at the crematorium in Ahmedabad was a stark reminder of the tragic plane crash that took the lives of 241 people on board and 29 on the ground.

Captain Sabharwal's colleague, Kapil Kohal, struggled to maintain his composure as he remembered their 35 years of friendship. He described Sabharwal as a hero and a humble senior who stood out for his flying skills and grounded nature.

Despite his seniority and four stripes on his shoulders, Sabharwal lived simply with just two sets of clothes and a couple of pairs of slippers and shoes. He was known for his warm heart and quiet presence among his colleagues.

Captain Shankar Chaudhary, another close friend, reminisced about Sabharwal's radiant smile and happy-go-lucky nature. He expressed frustration over early speculation on the cause of the crash, emphasizing the need to wait for official investigations.

In the days following the tragedy, the skies above India felt different to those who fly them. Captain Kohal described a sense of coldness and shattered morale among passengers, ground staff, and dispatchers. He urged caution in speculating about the crash and emphasized the importance of learning from every aviation incident.

Both Captain Kohal and Captain Chaudhary continue to operate flights from Ahmedabad, determined to learn, rise, and fly again while prioritizing the safety of their passengers.