‘Heartbreaking’: NGO founder pays tribute to scholarship medical student killed in Air India tragedy

This tragedy is the worst aviation disaster in India in a decade and the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel arrived at Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025 to inspect the crash site of Air India Flight AI 171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner en route to London Gatwick. The aircraft tragically disintegrated during take‑off at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, colliding with the BJ Medical College hostel amid lunch‑hour chaos.

Police officer Vidhi Chaudhary confirmed that authorities were still “verifying the number of dead, including those killed in the building where the plane crashed."

A report also emerged from local NGO Yuva Unstoppable. Founder Amitabh Shah shared that 3rd‑year medical student Rakesh Diyora, beneficiary of the organisation's scholarship programme, was among those killed. He was in the hostel mess at the time of impact.

Shah wrote: “It is with deep sadness that we share the news that one of our Yuva Unstoppable’s Scholarship students, Rakesh Diyora… was a victim of the recent tragedy… He was eating food in the Mess area when this happened. Heartbreaking.”

He added: “Om Shanti! Let us all pray for peace for Rakesh’s soul. May his family find strength and comfort in this incredibly difficult time.”

The NGO also confirmed that five of its students who were present had been admitted to intensive care.

According to a senior official and confirmed by Dean Dr Minakshi Parikh, “four MBBS students living in the hostel died… 19 were injured. Five of them are serious. Two third‑year students are untraceable.” Additional casualties included a doctor’s spouse, while two relatives of medical staff sustained injuries.

Flight AI 171 was carrying 242 people—230 passengers and 12 crew—when it crashed shortly after its 13:38 IST take‑off. The only survivor is 40‑year‑old British‑Indian passenger Vishwashkumar Ramesh. The aircraft was heavily fuelled, leading to a catastrophic fire upon impact.

This tragedy is the worst aviation disaster in India in a decade and the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Reports indicate over 240 fatalities, including at least 241 on board and more than 28 on the ground.

Medical student Dhruv Gujjar, who was in the mess during lunch, described: “I ran out… When we came out, we realised that a plane had crashed on the roof.” He narrowly avoided harm as the ceiling collapsed around him.

Another witness recounted students leaping from upper floors to escape the fire, describing the crash as sounding “like a blast”.

Rescue operations involved NDRF, CISF, IAF, BSF, police, and local firefighters. Injured locals and students were rushed to nearby hospitals, with green corridors established to facilitate emergency transport. Flight operations at Ahmedabad were temporarily suspended, resuming later under restricted conditions.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), DGCA, Boeing, GE Aerospace, UK’s AAIB and US NTSB have launched a coordinated probe. A “Mayday” transmission from the cockpit was received before radar contact was lost.