Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, 78, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for national security offences, including urging foreign sanctions and publishing “seditious” articles in his now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper. The ruling, the harshest under the Beijing-imposed law, sparked international criticism, with rights groups calling it “effectively a death sentence” and a blow to press freedom. Lai will serve 18 additional years after accounting for overlapping jail time (Pics/AFP)

A tragic chapter in India’s political history is marked by the untimely deaths of several prominent leaders in aircraft and helicopter crashes. From former chief ministers to senior national figures, these incidents claimed the lives of leaders who played significant roles in shaping the country’s politics. From Ajit Pawar to former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, here is a look at some of the leaders India lost in air crashes (Pics/Wikipedia, file pics, YSR Congress party)