Loved ones hail Britons feared dead in Air India plane crash as airline confirms death toll

Daily Record

18 hours ago

There were 53 Britons on the flight when it went down.
Tributes have been paid to Britons feared dead after a Gatwick-bound plane crashed in India, including two wellness advocates and a couple with a four-year-old daughter.
Air India confirmed 241 of the 242 people on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner were killed on Thursday, in one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British nationals killed.
‌
The airline said the plane was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian. Here we look at what is known so far about some of the Britons thought to have died.
‌
Jamie and Fiongal
The couple, who ran a spiritual wellness centre, are said to be among the dead. The pair laughed and joked as they filmed a video of themselves at the airport before taking off. Mr Greenlaw appeared on ITV's This Morning earlier this year to talk about wellness. Former editor of the show Martin Frizell praised his "vibrancy" and "enthusiasm".
In an Instagram post, he said: "So so sad to hear that Fiongal Greenlaw-Meek and his partner are reported to be among the passengers and crew killed today on board the Air India flight bound for Gatwick. I remember his visit to the studio in January, he was passionate about auras and although I'm a sceptical sort, his vibrancy and sheer enthusiasm won folk over."
Akeel Nanabawa, Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter Sara Nanabawa
The family of three from Gloucester were "widely loved and deeply respected", their family said in statement issued through their Imam. Ms Vorajee volunteered at a local Islamic school and was also a director for an organisation promoting understanding of the religion, Imam Abdullah Samad said.
Mr Nanabawa ran a recruitment firm called Iceberg Recruitment Services which had a branch in Ahmedabad, India, according to the company's website. Imam Abdullah Samad said: "This young family was incredibly close-knit - devoted parents and their beautiful young daughter.
"They gave their time and energy to awareness campaigns and fundraising efforts, always guided by a strong sense of responsibility to help others. They were widely loved and deeply respected. His quiet generosity, her warmth and kindness, and their daughter's bright, joyful spirit made a lasting impact on everyone who knew them. She was a ray of sunshine in her school and they were a pillar of strength in our lives."
‌
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Raxa Modha, Rudra Modha and K Mistri
Raj Mishra, the mayor of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, announced the deaths of three people from his community. He said: "Among those lost were Raxa Modha, infant Rudra Modha, and Ms K Mistri, all from our Wellingborough community.
"I extend my deepest condolences to their families, friends and all those affected by this heartbreaking event. May their memories be a blessing, and may we come together to support one another in this time of grief."
‌
Ajay Kumar Ramesh
Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, is believed to be the only survivor of the crash. His older brother Ajay was also reportedly on the flight. Speaking outside the family home in Leicester, Jay, a relative of the brothers, said Vishwash spoke to his father after the crash and asked after his brother. Jay told PA: "After the crash he spoke to his dad worrying about his brother saying, 'Where's Ajay'?"
Dr Prateek Joshi and family
Dr Prateek Joshi, a radiologist at the Royal Derby Hospital, was on the Air India flight with his family, Derby Hindu Temple said. Dr Joshi had moved to Derby from India in 2021, a colleague who worked closely with him said.
‌
Dr Rajeev Singh said: "He often entertained colleagues with stories about his passions outside of work, including his newly discovered love of fish and chips and enthusiasm for walking in the Peak District.
"He touched the lives of so many people, both through his clinical work and as a colleague and friend to many. It is hard to accept that a man with such a passion for life, and his beautiful young family, have been taken in this way."
Mariam and Javed Ali Syed and their two children
Mariam and Javed Ali Syed and their two children, five-year-old Zayn and four-year-old Amani, were on the flight returning from a holiday in India, Ms Ali Syed's sister-in-law told the Telegraph. Mr Ali Syed is reported to have worked at a hotel in London while Ms Ali Syed had reportedly worked for Harrods for a decade.
‌
Speaking to the Telegraph about the couple's young children, Yasmine Hassan said: "They are so small, they are five and four. And it's just thinking how scared they must have been."
Adam and Hasina Taju, and their son-in-law Altafhusen Patel
Adam Taju, 72 and his wife Hasina, 70, were flying with their son-in-law Altafhusen Patel, 51, the couple's granddaughter told the BBC. Ammaarah Taju, from Blackburn, Lancashire, told the broadcaster of her shock and disbelief.
‌
Sisters Dhir and Heer Baxi
Sisters Dhir and Heer Baxi, both in their early 20s, were returning home to London on the Air India flight after surprising their grandmother for her birthday. Speaking to the PA news agency, Ishan Baxi, a cousin who lives in Ahmedabad, said both women had an "amazing aura" and wanted to "roam the world".
"They both had aspirations to be successful enough to roam around the world like tension-free along with the parents, and they had proclivity towards modernisation without changing traditional values," he said. Both women knew "what is right and what is wrong", Mr Baxi added. "Right now no one is able to come (to) terms because they both came here just to celebrate grandma's birthday.
He said: "But, see, the tragedy - they came, they celebrated and they both left the world, everything is vanished right in front of our eyes. I am unable to control my tears even now also just because I was close to them, you just imagine what emotions parents are going through right now.
‌
"Think about guilt the grandma would feel right now. I just want God to bless those souls, all dreams, promises, aspirations vanished in seconds." Heer worked a product manager and "loved statistics and finance", while Dhir was a fashion designer who had studied in Paris, their cousin said.
Arjun Patoliya
Two children were orphaned when Arjun Patoliya was killed in the Air India plane crash after travelling to scatter his wife's ashes in her homeland, according to a fundraiser for the family. Mr Patoliya, 37, was killed 18 days after his wife Bharti had died from cancer, the GoFundMe page to support their daughters, aged four and eight, said.
‌
The Briton had travelled to Gujarat to fulfil his wife's "final wish". By Saturday afternoon more than #370,000 had been raised to help the girls. The fundraiser, organised by Mr Patoliya's colleague, said: "Their mother, Bharti Patoliya, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer.
"Fulfilling her final wish, her husband Arjun Patoliya travelled to India to scatter her ashes in her homeland in Gujarat." It added: "Arjun left to bid farewell to his wife, never returned to the children they both raised. "Now, these two beautiful young girls have been left without parents - their world turned upside down in just over two weeks." Mr Patoliya worked at furniture manufacturer Inspired Elements Ltd, based in Stanmore, north-west London.
Panna Nagar
Former nursery headteacher and Ofsted inspector Panna Nagar held her family together "with her warmth and wisdom", her grandchildren have said. A social media post signed from her four grandchildren said: "Her work in education and numerous charities brought her around the world, her legacy is undoubtedly immense and she touched so many lives with her passion.
‌
"She created an international community through her care for people and a desire to bring education to everyone." Ms Nagar headed Northfleet Nursery School in Gravesend, Kent, for 15 years from 2005. "Her impact will be remembered indefinitely. She poured an endless amount of love, passion and care into everything that she did", her grandchildren said.
"Nani was the heart of the family, she held us together with her warmth and wisdom. Her house was never quiet, it was always filled with laughter, good food and Maya's barks! As her grandchildren she was everything to us, she taught us that our ambitions and passions are so important, that the time we have together is sacred and precious.
"She shaped our lives in more ways than we can count and she will be sorely missed." Northfleet Nursery School said Ms Nagar was "more than just an educator she was a guiding light, an inspiration and a champion for every child and staff member lucky enough to walk through her doors".
‌
Master Mohammed Adnan
Master Mohammed Adnan had a wife and 11-month-old baby, the mosque he worshipped at has said. The Cann Hall Deen & Education Trust, east London, posted on social media: "It is with great grief that we share the news that one of our own worshippers, Master Mohammed Adnan, was aboard the ill-fated flight. Our sincerest condolences are extended to his wife and their 11-month-old baby."
Kalyani and Gaurav Brahmbhatt
Trupti Telrandhe told BBC News she has been "deeply saddened" after learning her close friends Kalyani and Gaurav Brahmbhatt were onboard.
‌
Gaurav and her husband Amul spent five years working together at a company in Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, she said. Ms Telrandhe added: "They were extremely hard-working and very friendly, fun-loving, always motivated us to have big dreams."
Manju Mahesh Patel
Manju Mahesh Patel, 79, had been staying in Ahmedabad to carry out charity work at a temple and was due to return home to the UK on Thursday. Her son, Chirag Mahesh Patel, told Sky News she was sitting in seat 12D - just one row behind the only survivor of the crash - and that he would relive her final moments "to the day I die".
"She had ultimate faith ... in times of stress she would always say God's name," he said. "So I know that upon take-off, she was saying his name." Mr Patel described his mother as a strong woman who "really loved her family" and said she had packed her suitcase with lollipops and special crisps for her grandchildren, aged six and 15. "She was so looking forward to seeing us," he said. "It's unimaginable, even in my worst nightmare."