IMA Gujarat, Ahmedabad Medical Association hold condolence meet for doctors who lost their lives in Air India crash
BILKULONLINE
Ahmedabad, June 17 : The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Gujarat and the Ahmedabad Medical Association jointly organised a condolence meeting on Tuesday to honour the memory of ten doctors who lost their lives in the recent Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad.
Among the deceased were five doctors travelling onboard Air India flight AI‑171 and five junior doctors residing in a medical hostel building that was struck by the aircraft during the crash. The tragic incident, now counted among India’s worst aviation disasters in recent times, has deeply shaken the medical fraternity across the state and the nation.
The doctors who lost their lives in the tragedy were: Dr. Himanshu Shwet, Dr. Hitesh Shah, Dr. Pratik Joshi, Dr. Komi Vyas, Dr. Taskeen Inayatali Syed, Dr. Bhavesh Santa, Dr. Manva Bhadu, Dr. Jaiprakash Chaudhary, Dr. Aryan Rajput, and Dr. Rakesh Dohra. All were known for their dedication to healthcare and public service.
Dr. Mehul Bhai Shah, President of IMA Gujarat State Branch, said the loss has left the medical community devastated. “We are here to pay heartfelt tribute to ten brave doctors whose loss is not only personal to their families but a great blow to the healthcare community. We have appealed to the government to provide financial support to the bereaved families.”
Dr. Tushar Patel, Treasurer of the Ahmedabad Medical Association, also expressed sorrow over the tragedy. “We stand united in grief. Five of our colleagues were onboard the ill-fated flight, and five more were victims inside the hostel. Their dedication and memories will continue to inspire the medical fraternity.”
Efforts to identify the victims have been ongoing since the crash. Gujarat Minister of State for Home, Harsh Sanghavi, confirmed that 144 DNA samples had been successfully matched by Tuesday noon. The identification process is being conducted by a joint team from the State Forensic Science Laboratory and the National Forensic Sciences University.
At the crash site in Meghaninagar, emergency services continue search and recovery operations. Over 300 firefighters, supported by 60 fire vehicles and 20 water bowsers from various districts and agencies, are working continuously to clear debris and recover personal belongings and human remains.
Three teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with 150 personnel from the CRPF, Indian Army, CISF, BSF, and the Western Railway Disaster Management team, are engaged in meticulous search and recovery operations.
The Tata Group, which took over Air India in 2022, has announced an ex gratia payment of ₹1 crore for the families of each deceased passenger, in addition to ₹25 lakh as interim relief. The only survivor has also received this relief. The group has also committed to covering medical expenses for the injured and pledged support for reconstructing the damaged hostel at BJ Medical College.
Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran described the tragedy as “one of the darkest days in Tata Group’s history,” reaffirming the company’s resolve to support the affected families in every possible way.
