Sector mourns students and professionals lost in Air India crash

Exceptional, intellectually curious, generous, and a passionate cricket enthusiast – that’s how professors and friends remember 22-year-old Dirdh Patel, the Gujarat native who was among at least 271 people killed in last week’s tragic Air India Ahmedabad–London flight crash.

Patel, who had been pursuing an MSc in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Huddersfield since last year, was living with his brother and sister-in-law in Leeds and working as an AI/ML engineering intern in the UK when he travelled to India for personal reasons.

Riya Parmar, who studied with Patel at Dharmsinh Desai University during their undergraduate years, struggled to come to terms with the tragedy, recalling how she had met him just days before the crash, unaware it would be the last time she saw him.

“He always had a dream to start something of his own. That’s why he decided to go to the UK, to earn in pounds,” Parmar told The PIE News. 

We are still in shock that he’s gone, all we have now are memories
^{_{Riya Parmar, friend of Dirdh Patel}}

“As a student, he was one of the brightest, both in school and university. He always helped his friends with assignments and was our go-to last-minute teacher before exams. And, as a person, so kind and incredibly humble.”

Described as an “extrovert” and deeply spiritual at the same time, Patel had always dreamed of travelling across Europe, a dream Parmar still can’t believe he will never get to fulfil.

“We are still in shock that he’s gone, all we have now are memories,” she said. “We attended his funeral, and we are all trying our best to support his parents through this difficult time.” 

For the University of Huddersfield, Patel’s passing meant the loss of a standout student, someone who was at the top of his class and well on his way to making a meaningful impact in the world.

“He had a clear ability of seeing the bigger picture and how his learning could lead to making a positive impact in the world. This led him to graduate at the top of his class, achieving the highest average among all MSc AI students in his cohort,” stated Dr George Bargiannis, reader in artificial intelligence, School of Computing and Engineering at the University of Huddersfield, who was a mentor to Patel even after his graduation. 

Coventry University also issued a statement mourning the loss of two incoming students, highlighting the profound impact the tragedy has had on UK universities as students return from travel breaks or prepare to join their respective programs.

“These were young lives filled with dreams, aspirations, and the promise of a bright future. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with their families and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” read a statement by Tarang Chowdhury, regional director, South Asia at Coventry University. 

The Air India Flight 171 crash claimed the lives of 169 Indian nationals, 52 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian, leaving only one survivor.

It also killed 30 people on the ground, many of them students from Ahmedabad’s BJ Medical College, sending shockwaves through the international education sectors of both India and the UK, as the tragedy took the lives of not only students but also professionals within the industry.

Kalyani Brahmbhatt, an administration officer at the University of Wollongong’s India campus, and her husband, Gaurav Brahmbhatt, founding member of HCAH India, British Council award recipient, and Aston University alumnus, were among the hundreds of lives lost in the Air India tragedy.

“As soon as the news of the crash broke on the news channels, many of our partners – including senior leadership and several vice-chancellors – promptly reached out to enquire about the safety of our staff and students,” said Jasminder Khanna, co-founder of Gresham Global, a Mumbai-based representation firm supporting recruitment operations for UK universities in South Asia. 

“While there were some students scheduled to travel to the UK for the summer course, thankfully, none (among partner universities) were on flight AI 131. I had calls and messages from almost all of our partner universities including the non-UK ones.”

Abhijit Zaveri, founder and director of Career Mosaic and a resident of Ahmedabad, said the recent incident has left a lasting impact on the western Indian city, which is considered one of the fastest-growing in the country.

“Several people lost their lives, and many families are now coping with unimaginable grief. In a close-knit and aspirational city like Ahmedabad, such a loss is not confined to those directly affected, it reverberates across neighbourhoods, schools, and communities,” stated Zaveri.

“Our immediate priority was to confirm the safety and whereabouts of our students, assist anxious families with travel coordination, and maintain transparent communication between institutions and their incoming cohorts,” added Zaveri, who highlighted that there’s a need for better protocols during this period, including pre-departure check-ins, verified travel plans, emergency contacts, and culturally sensitive travel guidance.

The incident also comes just a month after India and the UK signed a free trade agreement aimed not only at reducing tariffs and boosting exports, but also at enhancing mobility between the two countries.

The growing bilateral relationship between India and the UK, which now relies heavily on smoother travel between the two countries, has also prompted UK universities to introduce new support measures for their students in India, especially in light of the recent plane crash.

While we already maintain strong engagement through pre-departure support and arrival briefings, we recognise that situations like this call for more structured and anticipatory outreach
_{^{Disha Gupta, Birmingham City University}}

In the days following the incident, multiple Air India flights have been cancelled, including a London-bound flight from Ahmedabad that was grounded due to operational issues.

“I am hoping that such incidents never ever happen but it is not under anyone’s control. We are not advising students for any specific for or against any airlines at all,” stated Jaspreet Kaur, principal adviser (South Asia) supporting Queen Mary University of London, UK-India Business Council. 

“However, we have been advising to watch out the airspace criteria as there are more issues with the air routes from India to UK at the moment.”

“As soon as news of the crash surfaced, our international recruitment team in South Asia immediately began reaching out to current applicants and partner agents in the region – particularly in Gujarat – to check in, offer reassurance, and provide any necessary support,” stated Disha Gupta, head of operations and recruitment, India, UAE, Nepal and Sri Lanka at Birmingham City University. 

According to Gupta, in addition to university-wide communications and dedicated counselling and support services, the institution is also introducing wellbeing check-ins throughout the admissions journey, in collaboration with its partners across India.

“While we already maintain strong engagement through pre-departure support and arrival briefings, we recognise that situations like this call for more structured and anticipatory outreach. We are working closely with our internal support teams to see how we can embed this within our wider international student experience strategy,” she added. 

While India’s directorate general of civil aviation has reportedly found no major safety concerns with Air India’s Dreamliner fleet, the aircraft model involved in the crash, a Reuters report revealed that the aviation authority has requested pilot and dispatcher records from Air India as part of its ongoing investigation. 

In a separate memo dated June 16, the DGCA has also urged flying schools across the country to “strictly follow additional safety and operational measures”.