The doctor, also a philanthropist Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil announced the financial aid to the families of medical students and doctors affected by the Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad last Thursday, June 12. The tragic plane crash killed a total of 270 people including 240 passengers.

The tragedy struck on 12 June, when a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft crashed into the hostel and mess blocks of BJ Medical College, killing four medical students, injuring dozens, and claiming the lives of family members of doctors residing on campus.

The aircraft also struck the Atulyam hostel complex during lunch hour reducing student residences and the dining hall to rubble. Among those killed were MBBS students Jaiprakash Choudhary from Barmer, Rajasthan; Manav Bhadu from Shree Ganganagar, Rajasthan; Aaryan Rajput from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh; and Rakesh Diyora from Bhavnagar, Gujarat. All three were young medical students. As many as five family members of doctors were also killed in the tragedy.

Announcing the relief from Abu Dhabi, Dr. Shamsheer, Founder and Chairman of Burjeel Holdings and Managing Director of VPS Health, said he was deeply shaken by the aftermath of the crash. “As someone who had once lived in similar hostels during his own medical education at Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore and Sri Ramachandra Medical College in Chennai, the images struck a chord,” he said.

“I saw the footage from the mess and the hostel, and it truly shook me. It reminded me of the places I once called home, the corridors, the beds, the laughter, the pressure of exams, and the anticipation of a call from family. No one expects a commercial aircraft to come crashing into that world,” Dr Shamsheer added.

“Those students started the day thinking about lectures, assignments, and patients. Their lives ended in a way none of us could ever imagine. It hit close. Too close,” he further said.

Dr. Shamsheer’s relief package includes Rs. 1 crore for each of the four deceased students’ families, Rs. 20 lakh each for five seriously injured students, and Rs. 20 lakh each for the families of doctors who lost loved ones. The financial assistance will be delivered in coordination with the Junior Doctors’ Association at BJ Medical College, ensuring that those in need receive support swiftly.

This is not the first time Dr. Shamsheer has responded to such a crisis. In 2010, following the Mangalore air crash, he provided financial assistance and employment opportunities to affected families at Burjeel Holdings, a leading healthcare provider in the Middle East.

Dr Shamsheer’s humanitarian interventions extended to natural disasters, public health emergencies, and displacement crises across India and the Gulf. But this, he said, felt personal in an entirely different way.

“These young men were part of the same fraternity I once belonged to. I know what it’s like to stay up preparing for clinical exams, to crowd around a table in the mess hall, to walk into a hostel room after a tiring shift. That life builds not just doctors, but character. And to have that life stolen, so violently, so suddenly, is heart-breaking,” he said.

Among the injured is third-year student Ritesh Kumar Sharma, who was trapped under debris for hours with severe leg injuries. Several of his friends were injured alongside him. Others watched helplessly as classmates were engulfed in the impact.

Dr. Shamsheer emphasised that this support is not just financial, it is symbolic. It is a reminder that the medical community stands together, across generations and geographies. “What happened cannot be undone. These students were preparing to serve others. Their memories must not fade into headlines. We must carry forward the dreams they didn’t get to fulfil. It is shared responsibility,” he said.

As BJ Medical College reels from the loss, displaced students and families are being temporarily relocated. The Junior Doctors’ Association, which has been closely involved in supporting the affected students and families, is coordinating with authorities to facilitate assistance.

Related:

Speculation about the cause of Air India crash is rife. An aviation expert explains why it’s a problem

The temporariness and unpredictability of life

The post Ahmedabad Air India Crash: UAE-based Indian doctor offers Rs. 1 crore each to kin of deceased Medical Students appeared first on SabrangIndia.

It is a tragedy of immense proportion! One of the worst in the history of civil aviation in India! An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (AI-171), from Ahmedabad to London, crashed shortly after take-off. The flight departed at 1:38 pm from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday June 12. The failure to achieve the lift happened at a very low altitude of 825 feet, resulting in a crash and bursting into a ball of fire. Just 33 seconds after take- off! The plane had 242 people on board – 230 passengers, 10 crew members and two pilots Videos show the plane struggling to gain altitude before it begins losing lift (upward force that allows an aircraft to stay airborne) and crashes, exploding in a ball of fire. The devastating crash claimed 241 out of the 242 on board!  According to the news agency Reuters, ‘the plane was carrying 169 Indians, 53 Britons, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian. Passengers included 217 adults, 11 children, and 2 infants’. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud explosion followed by flames and heavy smoke rising near the crash site.

No one, at this juncture, seems to know the actual cause of this terrible accident! There are of course surmises, assumptions, opinions ad nauseam; mainstream and social media are full of them. One thing however emerges on which there is widespread unanimity, is that it was undoubtedly a technical/mechanical problem that caused the crash. Experts say that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner is a model that had an immaculate safety record. There are however, opinions which differ and major flaws in the Dreamliner have been pointed out in the past. All this, for the moment is a matter of conjecture. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air India officials will have to release more authentic details (as investigations progress), only then will a clearer and more accurate picture be revealed.

The added tragedy is that the aircraft crashed into the residential quarters of the BJ Medical College, just a few metres outside the airport. Many students were having lunch at that time; others in their quarters. At least four MBBS students and a doctor’s wife were immediately confirmed dead speaking to reporters the College dean Dr Minakshi Parikh said,”While four MBBS students living in the hostel died, 19 were injured. Five of them are serious. Two third-year students are untraceable. A doctor’s wife was also killed while two relatives of other doctors were injured. Three members of a doctor’s family went missing after the incident.” The number of those killed on the campus is expected to be much higher.

The moment the tragedy took place – there was a united response from every quarter. Civilians at great risk ran to the spot to be of help, there were emergency response teams (from the military, para –military and police forces), the firefighters were in full swing and so were the medical personnel with ambulances. They arrived swiftly at the scene of the crash even as plumes of smoke billowed from the wreckage. Rescue operations began immediately with the injured individuals being rushed to nearby hospitals. Local authorities cordoned off the area, and aviation experts were brought on-site to assess the situation.

All this makes one realise the temporariness and unpredictability of life. Plenty of memes and quotes are going viral – which include “Life is so unpredictable- you go for a vacation and you are killed by shooters; you go for a trophy victory parade and are killed in a stampede. You go on a flight for work/vacation and it crashes. You are eating / studying in the comfort and security of your home and the plane crashes right on you killing you!” Sad indeed but that is the truth and fact of life!

From the deceased emerge stories of reunions, new opportunities of homecoming and more; several heart-rending ones. There is the story of a family of five – husband and wife and their three children – from Banswara in Rajasthan. Dr Kaumi Vyas, her husband Pratik Joshi and their three children – Miraya, and the twins Pradyut and Nakul – were going to London to start a new chapter of their lives. While on the plane, Pratik took a selfie of the family in which all five of them are seen smiling. While Joshi and his wife Kaumi are seated next to each, the three children are seated beside them on the other side together, all posing for the camera with a smile. Pratik had been living in London for six years. A software professional, he’d long dreamed of building a life abroad for his wife and three young children, who stayed back in India. After years of waiting for due clearances the dream was finally coming true. Just two days ago, Kamini a renowned doctor in Udaipur, resigned from her job. The bags were packed, goodbyes said, the future within reach. They sent the selfie to several a one-way journey to a new life. But they never made it. None of them are alive today!

Then there was Captain Sumeet Sabharwal a seasoned pilot who had 8,300 hours of flying experience. A resident of Powai, Mr Sabharwal, had reportedly promised his father that he would quit his job shortly and take care of him full time. Mr Sabharwal was single and lived with his nonagenarian father who used to work with the DGCA. Then there was the Co-pilot a Clive Kunder who had 1,100 hours of flying experience. He, too, comes from a family of aviation enthusiasts, with his mother being a former Air India flight attendant. A popular young man of the Kalina area of Bombay who dreamt of great life ahead!  Then there were the two other flight attendants from Manipur. Nganthoi Kongbrailatpam and Singson Lamnunthem. Nganthoi is a resident of Thoubal district. While Singson, who originally belongs to Old Lambulane in Imphal West, has been residing in Kangpokpi district due to the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state. Both their families had suffered much because of the conflict; the hopes of their families rested on them.

In a matter of seconds, a lifetime of dreams turned to ash. A brutal reminder, life is terrifyingly fragile. Everything you build, everything you hope for, everything you love, it all hangs by a thread. So while you can, live, love, and don’t wait for happiness to start tomorrow. Life after all is temporary and very unpredictable! Even for Ms Bhoomi Chauhan, who was to board the ill-fated flight. The traffic jams in Ahmedabad delayed her and she missed her flight to London by just ten minutes! “My body is shivering” she stated even as she sighs with relief!

Prayers are being said all over; candle light vigils are being held. Messages of sympathy are pouring in from all over the world – including from several world leaders Pope Leo XIV sent a message to express his “heartfelt condolences” to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the crash. Saying that he was, “deeply saddened by the tragedy involving an Air India aircraft near Ahmedabad.” He has assured everyone affected of his prayers for those involved in the recovery efforts, and commended the souls of the deceased to “the mercy of the Almighty.”

Viktor Emil Frankl (1905 – 1997) was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, author, and a holocaust survivor, who suffered at the hands of the Nazis. He was the founder of ‘logotherapy’, a school of psychotherapy which describes a search for a life meaning as the central human motivational force. The autobiographical Man’s Search for Meaning, a best-selling book, is based on his experiences in various Nazi concentration camps. In the book he tells the story of how he survived the Holocaust by finding personal meaning in the experience, which gave him the will to live through it. His ‘logotherapy is based on the premise that man’s underlying motivator in life is a “will to meaning,” even in the most difficult of circumstances. Frankl pointed to research indicating a strong relationship between “meaninglessness” and criminal behaviours, addictions and depression. Dr. Frankl explains: “Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather he must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible”. 

We are called to reflect on the meaning and purpose of our lives. We live in this world for such a short time. We are just pilgrims! Why then do we have to hate and kill each other? Why should we waste this short while in discriminating and demonising, excluding and exploiting the other? Can we not make of ourselves pilgrims of hope radiating compassion and unity, equity and fraternity to others? Yes, in this temporary and unpredictable life we all must give ourselves and others both meaning and fulfilment! 

In the meantime, let our hearts, minds and lips well up in prayer:

“May all the victims of this terrible plane tragedy –

-those in the plane and those in the BJ Medical College campus –

Rest in Peace!

Our heartfelt and prayerful condolences

to ALL who have lost a loved one

We share in their grief!”

 (The author is a human rights, reconciliation and peace activist and writer;  cedricprakash@gmail.com ) 

Related:

Speculation about the cause of Air India crash is rife. An aviation expert explains why it’s a problem

The post The temporariness and unpredictability of life appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Parts of the media seem to be encouraging this. For example, earlier today I was contacted by an international news organisation for an interview about the tragedy. While I agreed, I cautioned that I could only say “it is too early to speculate”. They decided not to proceed with the interview. No reason was given, but perhaps it was my aversion to speculation.

Of course, I want to know as much as anyone else what caused this disaster. But publicly speculating at such an early stage, when there is so little evidence available, is more than unhelpful. It is also harmful, as many examples throughout history have shown.

Like an archaeological excavation

Aviation accident investigations start as soon as first responders have extinguished the fires and completed the search for survivors – the first and foremost driver when responding to such a disaster – and have declared the site safe. The identification of the victims will then commence, completed by a different agency, parallel to the accident investigation.

State authorities aren’t the only people involved. The aircraft manufacturer (in this case Boeing) will usually send representatives to assist the investigation, as can the home countries of victims. Investigators in the country where the accident occurred may also request assistance from countries with more experience in aviation accident investigation.

An early step for investigators is finding the black boxes (flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorder) among the debris. These contain data about the flight itself, what the aircraft was doing, and what the pilots were saying.

But a plane crash investigation involves much more than just finding the black box.

An aviation accident investigation is akin to an archaeological excavation – methodical and painstaking. If the evidence is not collected and preserved for later analysis at the time, it will be irrevocably lost.

In the case of Air India Flight 171 the scene is further complicated by the crash location – a building. It will take time for the aeroplane wreckage, victims and personal belongings to be sorted from the building debris. This must occur before the search for answers can commence.

Investigators will also gather witness statements and any video of the event. Their analysis will be further informed by company documentation, training, and regulatory compliance information.

Around 80% of aviation accidents are due to “human factors”.

According to the International Civil Aviation Organisation human factors are:

what we know about human beings including their abilities, characteristics, and limitations, the design of procedures and equipment people use, and the environment in which they function and the tasks they perform.

It could take several years for the full forensic investigation into this disaster to run its full course. For example, the final report into the Sea World helicopter crash in Queensland, Australia, back in 2023, which claimed the lives of four people and injured nine others, was only released in April this year.

A history of speculation – and vilification

There is a long history of undue and harmful public speculation about the possible causes of a plane crash.

For example, since the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on March 8, 2014, speculation has swirled about whether chief pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah was responsible for the disaster and the deaths of the other 238 people on board. This has deeply upset his sister, Sakinab Shah. In 2016, she told CNN she feels her brother is a “scapegoat” she must defend.

Similarly, the pilots of the British Midlands accident near Kegworth in 1989, in which 47 people died, were also publicly vilified.

The pilots, who survived the crash, were experienced but misidentified which engine had failed, and shut down the wrong one. They were widely criticised in the press for the error, tarnishing their reputations, losing their jobs, and no doubt causing more stress to their families. The investigation later revealed the pilots themselves had not received any simulator training as they transitioned to a newer variant of the aircraft they were flying.

This shows how undue public speculation about an airline disaster can add to the distress of victims and their families.

Respect the process

No doubt pilots and aviation experts are speculating in private right now about the causes of this particular disaster. Cafes, pubs and crew rooms will be rife with discussions and opinions. It is human nature to want to know what happened.

But to speculate in public won’t assist the investigative process. Nor will it help the families of the victims, or the first responders and investigators themselves, get through this horrible time.

Investigators need to work without external pressures to ensure accurate findings. Respecting this process maintains integrity and supports the many people who are currently experiencing unimaginable grief.

Author is Program Director for the Bachelor of Aviation, University of Southern Queensland

Speculation about the cause of Air India crash is rife. An aviation expert explains why it’s a problem

The post Speculation about the cause of Air India crash is rife. An aviation expert explains why it’s a problem appeared first on SabrangIndia.