Not a film celebrity but a political celebrity.
His name was Sanjay Gandhi:
The son of Indira Gandhi (erstwhile Prime Minister of India) and one of the most powerful men during the National Emergency declared by his mother (he acted as Indira Gandhi’s advisor from 1973-1977).
In fact, he was practically running the government on behalf of the Prime Minister, even though he was not in any elected position. It was a common saying back then that the country was run from the PM’s residence rather than from the PM’s office.
One of the most controversial things spearheaded by him was the forced sterilization program where vasectomies were forcefully performed on millions of men, both young and old, and even teens. It even led to the deaths of many people and no compensation was paid.
Furthermore, the rule of this “crown prince” as he used to be called, led to a steep increase in corruption, favoritism, and witch hunts.
Now coming to how he died.
Sanjay Gandhi was a very reckless pilot who liked to perform dangerous stunts while flying even though he was not trained enough to pull them off.
On the 23rd of June 1980 , he drove to Delhi Flying Club and decided to try the new Pitts S-21 stunt plane, a plane he wasn’t trained to fly.
And guess what he was wearing on his feet? This:
Kolhapuri sandals (Image for representational purpose)
And he chose to fly the plane wearing them.
His brother, Rajiv Gandhi (future Prime Minister), who was also a trained pilot, had advised Sanjay several times earlier to not fly planes wearing Kolhapuri sandals but proper shoes, and not to engage in dangerous maneuvers but Nah!! This man never gave a shit.
And this attitude of not giving a shit would spell his doom.
Sanjay was flying dangerously low and while performing a difficult stunt, he lost control and crashed.
The wreckage of Sanjay Gandhi’s plane.
He died instantly but his body was torn to pieces. It took eight surgeons four hours to stitch up his mutilated corpse.
Upon his death, Indira Gandhi said the following to her personal doctor:
Doctor, hamara dahina haath kat gaya.
Translation:
Doctor, my right hand has been cut off.
If only he had listened to his brother, lol.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons