Nearly two weeks after the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad, the families of young medical students who lost their lives on the ground have begun turning grief into resolve. With Rs 1 crore in support given to each bereaved family by UAE-based healthcare philanthropist Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, many are choosing to honour the lost dreams through memorial efforts — including a children’s park in a village in Saurashtra, inspired by a student, Rakesh Gobarbhai Diyora, a second-year MBBS student from Sosiya village in Bhavnagar.
Diyora, among the on-ground casualties of the crash, had aspired to be a pediatric heart surgeon.
The symbolic financial gesture was formalised at the state-run medical college where the students were enrolled. For the Diyora family, the loss marked the end of a rare milestone — their son was the first in their community to study medicine.
Another family, from central India, recalled how their son Aryan had become the backbone of the household, with hopes pinned on lifting a farming legacy into a medical career.
The reopening of the medical college on Tuesday marked a sombre milestone. Alongside the cheques handed to the four student families, support was also extended to six other households who lost relatives in the crash. Among them were resident doctors and health staffers who lost close kin, including spouses and siblings. Each received Rs 25 lakh in aid.
Injured survivors, including MBBS students and medical residents, were also recognised. Fourteen individuals hospitalised for more than five days — due to burns, fractures, or internal injuries — were each granted Rs 3.5 lakh. The list included students in early years, junior residents, and family members of college staff, including a mother and her infant child whose recovery remains ongoing.
In all, Rs 6 crore was disbursed as part of the support initiative. The funds covered compensation for families of students and staff who died, as well as financial assistance for the injured.
The report mentioned that representatives from VPS Health, a multinational healthcare group based in Abu Dhabi, delivered the cheques at the college in the presence of senior officials and student representatives. The organisation expressed its solidarity with the victims’ families, reflecting the spirit of service and sacrifice embodied by those lost.
Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil had earlier sent a personal letter to the families, affirming that while the loss could not be undone, the medical fraternity stood united in grief and healing.
Senior administrators, including the college dean, acknowledged the enormity of the tragedy, highlighting how gestures of solidarity carry deep meaning when words fail. A representative of the junior doctors described the donation as a moment when someone who truly understood “what it means to be one of us” reached out.
The cheque handover was followed by a solemn prayer gathering attended by students, faculty, staff, and the state health minister. Those remembered included young medical students, resident doctors, a schoolboy just 13 years old who was caught on the ground, commuters, and family members of hospital staff — all among the lives lost when the plane crashed into the college complex.
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