In a recent community event in Geneva, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar shared a compelling personal connection to the 1999 Kandahar hijacking, adding a poignant human element to the historical event. During a discussion about the Netflix series ‘IC 814 – The Kandahar Hijack,’ Jaishankar revealed that his father, K. Subrahmanyam, was a passenger on the hijacked Indian Airlines flight IC-814.
Jaishankar, who was a young IFS officer at the time, was part of the team tasked with responding to the hijacking. He candidly described the emotional toll of balancing his official duties with his personal anxieties. He discovered his father was on the flight four hours into the ordeal, adding a layer of personal stress to the already intense situation. Jaishankar recalled the emotional turmoil of the situation, stating, “My wife was working and away, so I could not be with my son, who was just a few months old. I had to call my mother to explain that I couldn’t come home to care for my baby due to the hijacking situation.”
His experience provided him with a unique perspective on the crisis. “I was involved in managing the hijacking response while also being a family member advocating for government action,” Jaishankar reflected, highlighting the dual role he played during the crisis.
K. Subrahmanyam, a renowned figure in India’s strategic landscape, was regarded as one of the pioneers of realpolitik. His presence on the hijacked flight added a layer of complexity to the situation. In 1984, he was also a passenger on a hijacked Indian Airlines flight, highlighting the resilience of the man who was instrumental in shaping India’s nuclear policy and security strategy.
The revelation of Jaishankar’s personal connection to the Kandahar hijacking adds a human dimension to a historical event. It underscores the emotional impact such crises have on individuals, even those in positions of power. Jaishankar’s story emphasizes that even amidst global events, personal connections and the human experience remain central to understanding the complexities of our world.
