Coffin maker fulfils duty with quiet dignity after air crash
1
2
Ahmedabad: Before the morning sun could warm the pavement outside Civil Hospital on Thursday, Nilesh Vaghela arrived in a truck loaded with 20 wooden coffins. Neatly arranged, polished to sombre perfection, and lined with care, the coffins bore no names yet — only the weight of untold stories.
For most, coffins are symbols of finality. For Nilesh, they are acts of service. "People talk of borders and visas. But coffins don't ask for passports. They all look the same in death," he adds.
The 47-year-old coffin maker, who resides in CTM, was in the trade for 15 years. He usually works with just one helper, making seven coffins a day. But following the AI 171 air crash, which killed 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, he received an urgent request for 100 coffins.
"Luckily, I had over 50 ready in stock. I regularly help send the remains of the deceased abroad — to London, the US. But this felt different," he said.
Despite the demand, he refused to hike prices or take advance payments. "This is not the time for profit," he said.
As he returns to his workshop to prepare more, Nilesh continues doing his bit. "I don't know their names. But I hope they are remembered with dignity. That's what I've tried to give them. Whatever happened was tragic, but I love this about our country — in times like this, everyone unites. No one asks whose body it is. We just do what needs to be done."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Air India tragedy: DNA of 86 victims matched, 38 bodies handed over as families bid final goodbyes
The bodies of 38 victims of the Air India AI 171 plane crash were handed over to the bereaved kin by Sunday evening. These include 30 passengers and crew on board the ill-fated flight and eight who lost their lives on the ground after the plane crashed on the hostel and mess buildings of BJ Medical College. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Even as mammoth teams of 100-odd doctors and forensic scientists worked round-the clock to carry out DNA matching of victims' bodies and body parts with the kin, authorities declared that the DNA of 86 passengers and crew members were matched by 6 pm on Sunday. Alok Kumar Pandey, the state relief commissioner, said that families of all 230 passengers aboard the ill-fated flight have been contacted. 'Families of three passengers from foreign countries are likely to arrive here by Monday evening or Tuesday morning. We are in touch with all families and teams formed for procedural coordination as inquest reports, death certificates, and other documents will be provided at the hospital,' he said. Dr Rajneesh Patel, additional medical superintendent, Civil Hospital, said that out of 24 bodies handed over by 4 pm on Sunday, it includes one person from Udaipur, five from Vadodara, eight from Ahmedabad, five from Kheda, four from Mehsana, and one from Aravalli among others. Emotional scenes were witnessed outside the mortuary as bodies were handed over in coffins. Family members rued that the tragedy robbed them of the chance to see the faces of their loved ones one last time. Crematoriums witnessed poignant scenes as the last rites of victims were held. In Ahmedabad, the bereaved family of Megha Mehta bid her final adieu at Thaltej crematorium. In Ramnagar village in Anand, Mahendra Vaghela, who died on his first-ever trip to the UK to meet his newborn granddaughter, was cremated. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now For many other relatives, the wait for closure seemed endless. Meanwhile, a team from various central and state govt agencies, led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau visited the crash site in Meghaninagar on Sunday for a probe into the cause of the disaster.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
British F-35B jet makes emergency landing in Kerala
A British F-35B fighter jet made an emergency landing at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala on Saturday after reportedly running low on fuel, officials aware of the matter said on Sunday. According to an official at the airport, the F-35B sought permission from the airport authorities and landed safely around 9.30pm. 'The jet is currently at the airport and refuelling has been completed. It will be allowed to depart after requisite permission is received from the relevant authorities,' the official said on condition of anonymity. On Sunday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) issued a statement, stating that it is 'fully aware' of the development and that it facilitated the aircraft for 'safety reasons'. 'Normal occurrence of diversion by F-35. IAF fully aware and facilitated the aircraft for flight safety reasons. All assistance being given, and IAF is in coordination with all agencies,' the statement said. The jet reportedly took off from the HMS Prince of Wales, the UK Royal Navy's flagship aircraft carrier. The HMS Prince of Wales is part of the UK's Carrier Strike Group, currently operating in the Indo-Pacific, which recently conducted a maritime exercise with the Indian Navy. '#INSTabar with submarine and P8I aircraft of #IndianNavy participated in a Passage Exercise in the North Arabian Sea on 09 and 10 Jun 25 with HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Richmond from UK Carrier Strike Group,' the Indian Navy said in a post on June 11. According to the official cited above, the aircraft sought permission from the Thiruvananthapuram airport's Air Traffic Control (ATC) for landing around 9.20pm. 'An emergency was declared at the airport and necessary measures were taken for the safe landing of the jet. Subsequently, the jet landed around 9.30 pm,' the official said. A retired IAF officer said that such incidents are rare, but not unprecedented. 'The jet may have been airborne for routine flying as part of its training exercise. Once airborne, the pilot may have faced an emergency and perhaps wasn't in a position to go back to the mothership (aircraft carrier),' the retired officer said on condition of anonymity. Though the reason behind the emergency landing was yet to be confirmed, the IAF officer noted that the reported reason of low fuel was 'unlikely' as military jets accounts for such factors. 'Once the ATC gave permission, the jet may have landed. But to be airborne again, the jet's pilot and the Airport Association of India (AAI) will have to take clearance from the defence and civil aviation ministries. That's the general procedure,' the officer added.
New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Madras HC's heritage building regains its lost glory
CHENNAI: After years of neglect and poor upkeep, the iconic heritage building of the Madras High Court, one of the oldest in the country, has been restored to its lost glory. Built in 1892 in the Indo-Saracenic style, the British-era structure has undergone extensive renovation, particularly along its once-congested verandas and corridors. Makeshift offices, ceiling-high steel racks, and thousands of case bundles that once occupied these spaces have been cleared. Litigants and lawyers, who used to stumble through narrow, obstructed passages, can now move with ease. The key entry points – the judges' portico and the MBA portico – sport a new look, thanks to the efforts of the building committee of the court.
