Dr Shamsheer Vayalil extends heartfelt support to kin of medical students who died in tragic Ahmedabad crash
A prominent Indian-origin entrepreneur based in the UAE has pledged ₹6 crore to support the families of four medical students who were killed when an Air India flight crashed into the hostel mess of BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad. The students were having lunch when the aircraft tragically struck the building shortly after takeoff, reportedhindustantimes.com.
Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, known for his philanthropic work and UAE-based business ventures, took to social media platform X to express his grief over the devastating incident and announce his support for the victims’ families. “They were future frontline heroes. Manav, Aaryan, Rakesh, and Jaiprakash were preparing to save lives, not lose their own. The AI171 crash took them from us. Pledging ₹6 crore to support their families and others affected,” he wrote.
He added, “Having lived in medical hostels, the images felt painfully familiar. This gesture is personal. It stands with the students who never got to serve, and with the families now carrying their memories forward.”
Dr Shamsheer Vayalil pledges ₹6 crore to honour future doctors lost in Air India crash.
According to The Hindu, Dr Vayalil is the son-in-law of MA Yusuff Ali, the chairman of LuLu Group International.
The BJ Medical College tragedy occurred when Air India Flight AI171, bound for London, crashed minutes after takeoff. Among the 242 passengers on board, only one survived. The four students, who were part of the college’s undergraduate program, were among the fatalities in the hostel mess at the time of the crash.
Air India released a statement confirming that the passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national. The sole survivor was identified as a British citizen of Indian origin.
In addition to the entrepreneur’s gesture, Air India has announced interim relief measures: “An interim payment of ₹25 lakh (approximately £21,000) will be made to the families of the deceased and the lone survivor to help meet immediate financial needs. This is in addition to the ₹1 crore (approximately £85,000) support already announced by Tata Sons,” the airline said in a statement on X.
