Surviving the Skies: A Close Call with History

A new book, 'The Odyssey of an Indian Journalist,' by late journalist NVR Swami, chronicles the 1977 near-crash of Morarji Desai's flight in Assam, highlighting the dramatic emergency landing and the survival of all distinguished passengers, including the then-prime minister.

Nearly five decades after then-Prime Minister Morarji Desai narrowly escaped an air disaster, a newly released book sheds light on the dramatic events of November 1977. Written by the late NVR Swami, 'The Odyssey of an Indian Journalist' offers a vivid recounting of the ill-fated flight.

Swami, who accompanied Desai on the northeastern tour as a PTI correspondent, describes the chilling moments as their Russian-made Tupolev Tu-124 experienced a crash landing in a remote Assam paddy field. The plane's cockpit was torn from the fuselage, adding to the chaos.

Despite the terror, Desai, then 81, remained calm, urging his officers to tend to the injured. The incident claimed the lives of two pilots and three crew members but left all key passengers, including other notable figures, alive. Swami's book chronicles not just this event but his enduring journalistic endeavors across continents.

(With inputs from agencies.)