13/06/2025
This photograph breaks my heart in ways I cannot fully express. It shows Dr. Prateek Joshi, Dr. Komi Vyas, and their three beautiful children, Miraya, 8, and twin boys Nakul and Pradyut, 5, smiling radiantly in what would be their final selfie together.
After 6 years of separation, with Dr. Joshi working in London while his family remained in India, they were finally reunited for their journey to start a new life together. Dr. Vyas had just resigned from her position, excited to join her husband and raise their children in London. But in a matter of moments, a lifetime of dreams turned to ash.
Air India Flight 171 carried 242 souls on Thursday, 12th June afternoon, each with their own story, their own dreams, their own loved ones waiting. Only one person survived this unthinkable tragedy.
As I read through the stories of those we lost, my heart shattered over and over again. Even on the ground, innocent lives were lost. Medical students having lunch in their hostel cafeteria, a 15-year-old boy who had brought lunch to his mother at her roadside stall, and a grandmother delivering meals with her 2-year-old granddaughter all became victims of this tragedy.
Looking at these stories, at this photograph of pure joy frozen in time, I am overwhelmed by the fragility of our existence. The problems that consume my thoughts and the worries that keep me awake at night feel insignificant in comparison to the magnitude of loss these families are enduring.
This tragedy serves as a brutal reminder that life is terrifyingly fragile and we are not promised tomorrow. Everything you build, everything you hope for, everything you love, it all hangs by a thread. That the last conversation we have with someone might truly be the last. That the plans we keep postponing, the love we keep holding back, the forgiveness we keep delaying, none of it may get another chance.
My deepest condolences go out to every family affected by this devastating loss. To the 241 families who will never see their loved ones walk through the door again, to the communities mourning their members, to everyone whose world was shattered in those 32 seconds after take-off.
As I write this with tears in my eyes and a heavy heart, I am reminded that gratitude isn't just a practice but a necessity. Being grateful for the ordinary moments, the mundane conversations, and the simple presence of those we love. Because in an instant, ordinary becomes extraordinary when it's all we have left.
So, live with intention, love without reservation, and embrace each day as the precious gift it is. Hold your loved ones a little tighter tonight. Tell them you love them. Make that phone call. Take that trip. Have that conversation.
Life is terrifyingly fragile, but it is also beautifully precious.
Honour these souls by living fully, loving deeply, and never taking a single moment for granted.
Rest in peace to all 241 beautiful souls lost. You will not be forgotten.
