A UAE-based doctor and philanthropist has announced a financial aid package of Dh2.5 million to support the families of medical students and doctors affected by the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad.
Driven by empathy and shaped by his own experiences living in medical hostels, Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, Founder and Chairman of Burjeel Holdings and Managing Director of VPS Health, said the decision was deeply personal and rooted in solidarity with the medical community.
The tragedy struck on June 12, when a Boeing 787 aircraft crashed into the hostel and mess blocks of BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad in India. The impact claimed the lives of four medical students and several family members of doctors, while dozens more were injured. The aircraft ploughed into the Atulyam hostel complex during lunchtime, reducing student residences and the dining area to rubble.
Survivors recounted harrowing scenes of chaos — books, personal belongings, and lunch plates scattered in the debris. Among those killed were young MBBS students Jaiprakash Choudhary (Barmer, Rajasthan), Manav Bhadu (Shree Ganganagar, Rajasthan), Aaryan Rajput (Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh), and Rakesh Diyora (Bhavnagar, Gujarat) — all in the early stages of their medical careers. In addition, five family members of doctors residing on campus also lost their lives.
Announcing the relief from Abu Dhabi, Dr Vayalil said he was deeply shaken when he saw the aftermath of the crash. As someone who had once lived in similar hostels during his own medical education at Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore and Sri Ramachandra Medical College in Chennai, the images struck a chord.
“I saw the footage from the mess and the hostel, and it truly shook me. It reminded me of the places I once called home, the corridors, the beds, the laughter, the pressure of exams, and the anticipation of a call from family. No one expects a commercial aircraft to come crashing into that world,” he said. “Those students started the day thinking about lectures, assignments, and patients. Their lives ended in a way none of us could ever imagine. It hit close. Too close.”
Dr Vayalil’s relief package offers Dh426,000 (approx. Rs10 million) to the families of each of the four deceased students, Dh85,000 for each of the five seriously injured students, and Dh85,000 to the families of doctors who lost loved ones. The financial aid will be distributed in partnership with the Junior Doctors’ Association at BJ Medical College to ensure prompt support reaches those affected.
“These young men were part of the same fraternity I once belonged to. I know what it’s like to stay up preparing for clinical exams, to crowd around a table in the mess hall, to walk into a hostel room after a tiring shift. That life builds not just doctors, but character. And to have that life stolen, so violently, so suddenly, is heartbreaking,” he said.
Dr Vayalil emphasised that this support is not just financial, it is also symbolic. It is a reminder that the medical community stands together, across generations and geographies.
“What happened cannot be undone. These students were preparing to serve others. Their memories must not fade into headlines. We must carry forward the dreams they didn’t get to fulfill. It is shared responsibility,” he said.
