Air India crash: 23-year-old cricketer among victims

India Today

17-06-2025

Dirdh Patel, who played cricket for Leeds Modernians Cricket Club, was among the 241 passengers and crew members who died when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, travelling from Ahmedabad to London, crashed on Thursday.Dirdh Patel, who studied at the University of Huddersfield, was among the 242 people aboard Air India Flight AI171, which took off from Ahmedabad on 12 June bound for London's Gatwick Airport. Originally from Gujarat, he had recently completed a Master's degree in Artificial Intelligence and was preparing to begin a career in the tech industry.advertisementAccording to the BBC, Dirdh Patel's former lecturer, Dr George Bargiannis, described him as an "exceptional individual" who achieved the highest grade in his course. Dr Bargiannis, a reader in artificial intelligence at the university's School of Computing and Engineering, said: "Dirdh was someone I came to know not just for his academic abilities, but for his warmth, passion, and enthusiasm."
"Dirdh was always intellectually curious," he continued. "He would come to me during classes with questions that reflected deep understanding and commitment. He had a rare ability to see the bigger picture and to understand how his learning could lead to real-world impact."Dr Bargiannis added that he had remained in contact with Mr Patel after graduation. "His loss is a devastating reminder of how fragile life can be. My thoughts are with his family, friends, fellow students, and all who were fortunate enough to know him. May his memory continue to inspire those of us who had the privilege of sharing a part of his life."advertisementA talented all-rounder, Mr Patel played as the overseas player for Leeds Modernians Cricket Club during the 2024 season. The club said they were "incredibly saddened" by the news of his death."The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Dirdh's family and everyone who knew him," they said in a statement.A spokesperson for the Airedale and Wharfedale Senior Cricket League said Mr Patel had planned to continue playing cricket "once settled into his new job". His brother Krutik previously played for Pool Cricket Club, and both clubs held a minute's silence before their weekend fixtures as a mark of respect.League sources added that Mr Patel had hoped to balance his professional ambitions in technology with his passion for cricket. "He embodied the ideal of a student-athlete," a spokesperson said. "A young man equally committed to his studies and to sport, with an unshakeable work ethic and a bright future ahead."