In the early morning light, Anil Ambalal Patel found himself in a somber state as he prepared for his loved ones' funeral. His son, Harshit, and daughter-in-law, Pooja, had brought warmth and hope into his life after years of solitude. Unfortunately, their time together ended abruptly when they perished alongside 239 other passengers in the crash of Air India Flight 171 on June 12, just moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad.
As Mr. Patel, a 60-year-old security worker, looked at the photos of Harshit and Pooja on his phone—his lips pressing against the screen for what he could no longer physically do—he felt the weight of his loss deeply. They had traveled from Britain, where they sought opportunities for a better future, to visit him just before the tragedy struck.
On July 16, he gathered himself to honor their memory by scattering their ashes in the Narmada River, at a holy confluence. "They were my everything," he expressed, reflecting on the emotional support they provided amid life's challenges. In a nation home to 1.4 billion, the Patel family's story becomes part of a larger narrative of struggle, aspirations, and loss amongst those who strive for a better life yet are sometimes swept away in the face of tragedy. The remnants of this loss linger heavily, echoing the harsh realities faced by countless families affected by similar calamities.
As Mr. Patel, a 60-year-old security worker, looked at the photos of Harshit and Pooja on his phone—his lips pressing against the screen for what he could no longer physically do—he felt the weight of his loss deeply. They had traveled from Britain, where they sought opportunities for a better future, to visit him just before the tragedy struck.
On July 16, he gathered himself to honor their memory by scattering their ashes in the Narmada River, at a holy confluence. "They were my everything," he expressed, reflecting on the emotional support they provided amid life's challenges. In a nation home to 1.4 billion, the Patel family's story becomes part of a larger narrative of struggle, aspirations, and loss amongst those who strive for a better life yet are sometimes swept away in the face of tragedy. The remnants of this loss linger heavily, echoing the harsh realities faced by countless families affected by similar calamities.
