UAE (Commonwealth Union)_ An Indian origin doctor living in the UAE has come forward to offer financial help to the families of medical students who lost their lives in the tragic Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad. Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, originally from Kerala, announced a total donation of ₹6 crore to support the student victims’ families. Dr. Shamsheer is the founder and chairman of Burjeel Holdings and the managing director of VPS Healthcare. Speaking from Abu Dhabi, the Indian doctor expressed his worries over the fatal air crash and its devastating site, which took place on June 12. He recalled that the pictures reminded him of the hostels where he lived during his own medical studies at colleges in Mangaluru and Chennai.
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The crash claimed the lives of four medical students: Manav, Aaryan, Rakesh, and Jaiprakash. Dr. Shamsheer shared a post on social media, calling them “future frontline heroes” alongside a collage of their photos. He mentioned that they were preparing to save lives but instead lost their own in a tragedy no one could have predicted. “I am pledging ₹6 crore to support their families and others affected,” he said. He also announced ₹20 lakh each for five students who were seriously hurt and ₹20 lakh each for the families of doctors who lost loved ones in the crash. Accordingly, the funds will be distributed in collaboration with the Junior Doctors’ Association at BJ Medical College.
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According to Dr. Shamsheer, who is also the son-in-law of businessman MA Yusuff Ali, owner of the Lulu Group, this gesture is very personal to him. “I saw the images of the hostel and the mess, and they looked just like the ones I stayed in as a student. The beds, the walls, the pressure of exams, and the comfort of talking to family—those memories came back to me.” He continued, “No one ever imagines that a plane would crash into a place like that. It was shocking. It felt very close to home.”
Furthermore, it is not the first time Dr. Shamsheer has helped families affected by air disasters. Notably, in 2010, after a plane crash in Mangaluru, he offered financial aid and even jobs to the victims’ families through his company in the Middle East. This time, he says the support is not just about money. “It’s also a way to show that we in the medical field support each other, no matter where we are or which generation we belong to.” The accident happened on June 12 when a Boeing 787 crashed into the hostel and dining area of BJ Medical College. The crash killed four medical students, injured many others, and also killed the family members of doctors living on the campus.
There were 242 people on board the crashed plane: 230 passengers, 10 crew members, and 2 pilots. But only one passenger, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British citizen, survived the crash. So far, rescue workers have been able to identify 80 victims using DNA testing. One of them was the former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani. The four medical students who died were having lunch in the college mess when the crash happened. Of the 20 students injured, 11 have already been discharged and are recovering. The other nine are still under medical care. In the latest development, Air India also released a statement that it will give ₹25 lakh (around 21,000 British pounds) as interim compensation to the families of those who died as well as to the only survivor. This donation is in addition to the ₹1 crore (about 85,000 pounds) already announced by Tata Sons.
