Latest news with #PrateekJoshi
Time of India
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
A Thursday
Bachi Karkaria's Erratica and its cheeky sign-off character, Alec Smart, have had a growing league of followers since 1994 when the column began in the Metropolis on Saturday. It now appears on the Edit Page of the Times of India, every Thursday. It takes a sly dig at whatever has inflated political/celebrity egos, and got public knickers in a twist that week. It makes you chuckle, think and marvel at the elasticity of the English language. It is a shooting-from-the-lip advice column to the lovelorn and otherwise torn, telling them to stop cribbing and start living -- all in her her branded pithy, witty style. LESS ... MORE So much more crashes along with a plane A dear friend perished in the Ahmedabad Indian Airlines plane crash of 1988; our domestic carrier still hadn't merged with Air India. No remains of his body were found and his wife lived with a hope she could never bring herself to bury. That flight had originated in Bombay so there would have been more whom I could have lost, and thankfully didn't. But Ahmedabad was my town-in-law, I still have close family there and closer friends. Any of them could have been on board AI 171 last Thursday. To date I know only of one. She missed her flight that morning; her not being on time turning to timeless – and incredulous – gratitude. And perhaps not a little mixed feelings thinking of those who did not get away. What then about Viswashkumar Ramesh? I have often pondered over what it must feel like to be the sole survivor of a tragedy that kills hundreds? Or, worse, the rest of your family? I've been so haunted by this sudden death because it struck in a place I love for many reasons, most of all for its contradictions. No city can be one-dimensional; but Ahmedabad is defined by its dichotomy. The resident deity is Rokda, cash, mounted on dhandho, business, but it is equally home to the most vaunted of IIMs, schools of architecture, design and dance, to so many litterateurs and artists. Aspiration is the common factor, the desire to make life better. Yes, it was also on board that Dreamliner which turned into nightmare. An Ahmedabad-London flight represents the vast percentage of Gujaratis who straddle both places. Those who went to Britain to improve their circumstances or their families going to visit. Or, in the case of software engineer Prateek Joshi, bringing his family to live there with him after six years of struggling for clearances. The one image I can't get out of my head is that of the selfie he posted just before take-off. His own mission-accomplished glow, his beaming wife, his three little kids smiling with yet-not-fully-grasped hope but with definite joy of finally being full-time with Papa. All vapourised in 30 seconds. A one-way ticket as Prateek Joshi never intended it to be. *** Alec Smart said: 'Accident compensation is a contradiction in terms.' Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Glasgow Times
14-06-2025
- General
- Glasgow Times
UK investigators arrive in India as tributes pour in for plane crash victims
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off on Thursday in what is one of the deadliest plane accidents in terms of the number of British nationals killed. It struck a medical college hostel in a residential part of Ahmedabad, killing 241 of the 242 people on board. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inspecting the scene (Narendra Modi on X/AP) At least 25 more bodies were found in the debris by recovery crews working at the site until Friday evening, officials said, and it is unclear whether they had been on the flight or on the ground. The Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad has received 270 bodies, Dr Dhaval Gameti told the Associated Press. The sole surviving passenger, British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, is still under observation for some of his injuries but is 'doing very well and will be ready to be discharged any time soon', Dr Gameti said. The UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) announced on Friday night that four of its investigators had arrived in India and have expertise in aircraft operations, engineering and recorded data. The 'release of information on the investigation rests solely with the Indian authorities', it added. The black box flight recorder was recovered from a roof near the crash site and could reveal vital clues about the cause of the accident. Hundreds of relatives have provided DNA samples to help officials identify victims' remains A radiologist from Derby who had a 'newly discovered love of fish and chips' was on the flight with his family, the city's Hindu Temple said. Dr Prateek Joshi, who worked at the Royal Derby Hospital, moved to the UK from India in 2021, a colleague said. Dr Prateek Joshi (University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust/PA) 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. '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.' Two sisters in their early 20s on their way home to London after surprising their grandmother for her birthday are also said to be among the victims. A cousin who lives in Ahmedabad said fashion designer Dhir and product manager Heer Baxi had an 'amazing aura'. 'They both had aspirations to be successful enough to roam around the world along with the parents,' Ishan Baxi said. Heer and Dhir Baxi with their grandmother (Family handout/PA) Both women knew 'what is right and what is wrong', he added. 'Right now, no one is able to come to terms because they both came here just to celebrate grandma's birthday but… they came, they celebrated, and they both left the world, everything is vanished right in front of our eyes.' A couple who had already lost their only son in a previous aviation tragedy were on the plane, said Shri Rajrajeshwar Guruji, who leads the Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Harrow, north-west London. 'This couple had gone to India for a religious celebration – they were coming back and now this has happened,' he said. Shri Rajrajeshwar Guruji (Yui Mok/PA) 'After what has happened to their son as well – it's just terrible to think about.' A family of three from Gloucester were also on the flight, their family said. Akeel Nanabawa, Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter Sara Nanabawa were 'widely loved and deeply respected'. Ms Vorajee volunteered at a local Islamic school and was also a director of an organisation promoting understanding of the religion, an imam said. Mr Nanabawa ran a recruitment firm called Iceberg Recruitment Services which had a branch in Ahmedabad, according to the company's website. Speaking in Gloucester on Friday, Zaheera Nanabawa said her cousin Akeel was the 'glue' that held the family together. 'They were away as part of their trip to Singapore and Malaysia, before they went to India,' she said. 'This whole news is absolutely shocking and devastating for us, and it will leave a hole within our family.' Their imam, Abdullah Samad, said: 'This young family was incredibly close-knit – devoted parents and their beautiful young daughter.' The British survivor spoke of the horror of watching people 'dying in front of my eyes'. From his hospital bed on Friday, Mr Ramesh told DD News: 'I still can't believe how I survived.' The 40-year-old told the broadcaster the plane felt like it was 'stuck in the air' shortly after take-off before lights began flickering green and white, adding: 'It suddenly slammed into a building and exploded.' The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has been in contact with him to offer consular support, Downing Street said. The crash site was visited by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, with video footage showing him talking to Mr Ramesh in hospital.
NDTV
14-06-2025
- General
- NDTV
Doctor Family Was Moving To London On Doomed Flight. Father Shares His Story
Ahmedabad (Gujarat): Dr. JP Joshi, father of Dr. Prateek Joshi, and Dr. Anil Vyas, father of Dr. Komi Joshi, shared their profound grief and frustration. Dr. Prateek Joshi, a radiologist working in London, his wife, Dr. Komi Joshi, a pathologist from Rajasthan, and their three children, a 9-year-old daughter, Miraya, and 4-year-old twin boys, Nakul and Pradyut, were among the 241 passengers who lost their lives in the Air India Flight AI171 crash on June 12, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, bound for London's Gatwick Airport, crashed shortly after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, plunging into the Meghani Nagar area and killing all but one passenger, along with several people on the ground. Dr. Prateek Joshi's father, Dr. JP Joshi said: "He had come to India to take his family with him. He had been working in London for four years. He often came back to visit his children and wife. He never used to take a direct flight. But he said he would this time, so it would be easier for the children. His wife had resigned from her job in Udaipur so that they could live together. She packed all their belongings and got the children's transfer certificate, all by herself. My grandchildren, the twin boys, would have turned five on 15 August. They were born on 15 August and now both of them are free. We went to drop them off at the airport. He even told me that Papa, you also get prepared to come live with me in London. I told him that first, you settle down, then I will come. I was also looking into shutting down my clinic so my wife and I could move to London to stay with our son. That picture going viral on social media is from inside the plane. My grandchildren were so happy to be moving to London. My grandsons slept with me the whole night. We had purchased their school bags. They slept all night with their school bags, saying they would now study in London. No one from the airlines has contacted us." Dr. Komi Joshi's father, Dr. Anil Vyas, recounted his last moments of contact with his daughter: "First, we went to the hospital to check if they were admitted to the ICU. But we couldn't find them anywhere. Then we gave samples for a DNA test. We appeal to the government to hand over their remains to us soon, or if nothing is left of their bodies, then tell us that too, so we can go back. The shortcomings of the Air India flight should also be investigated quickly so that such incidents do not happen again. I had spoken to her at 1:32 PM for the last time on a video call. She called me when their plane was on the runway to talk one last time before take-off. She wanted to talk to her mother. But since her mother was in the operating theatre, I told Komi not to hurry and talk to her mother after she reached Derby. I started getting calls from people after a mere 15 minutes, asking which plane they were in. I found out that they were in the same plane that crashed. We rushed here. Roads were blocked everywhere. The crash happened just two to three minutes after I last talked to her." The family was set to begin a new chapter in London, with Dr. Komi Vyas having resigned from her position at Pacific Hospital in Udaipur to join her husband, who had been working at Royal Derby Hospital since 2021. A selfie taken by Dr. Prateek Joshi onboard the flight, showing the smiling family, has gone viral, capturing their excitement for the journey ahead. On Thursday, the Al-171 Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 aeroplane bound for London's Gatwick had crashed shortly after it took off from the Ahmedabad International Airport. The airlines said only one out of the 242 people on board the aircraft survived the crash. There were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national on board the crashed plane, airline authorities said.
The Herald Scotland
14-06-2025
- General
- The Herald Scotland
UK investigators arrive in India as tributes pour in for plane crash victims
It struck a medical college hostel in a residential part of Ahmedabad, killing 241 of the 242 people on board. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inspecting the scene (Narendra Modi on X/AP) At least 25 more bodies were found in the debris by recovery crews working at the site until Friday evening, officials said, and it is unclear whether they had been on the flight or on the ground. The Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad has received 270 bodies, Dr Dhaval Gameti told the Associated Press. The sole surviving passenger, British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, is still under observation for some of his injuries but is 'doing very well and will be ready to be discharged any time soon', Dr Gameti said. The UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) announced on Friday night that four of its investigators had arrived in India and have expertise in aircraft operations, engineering and recorded data. The 'release of information on the investigation rests solely with the Indian authorities', it added. The black box flight recorder was recovered from a roof near the crash site and could reveal vital clues about the cause of the accident. Hundreds of relatives have provided DNA samples to help officials identify victims' remains A radiologist from Derby who had a 'newly discovered love of fish and chips' was on the flight with his family, the city's Hindu Temple said. Dr Prateek Joshi, who worked at the Royal Derby Hospital, moved to the UK from India in 2021, a colleague said. Dr Prateek Joshi (University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust/PA) 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. '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.' Two sisters in their early 20s on their way home to London after surprising their grandmother for her birthday are also said to be among the victims. A cousin who lives in Ahmedabad said fashion designer Dhir and product manager Heer Baxi had an 'amazing aura'. 'They both had aspirations to be successful enough to roam around the world along with the parents,' Ishan Baxi said. Heer and Dhir Baxi with their grandmother (Family handout/PA) Both women knew 'what is right and what is wrong', he added. 'Right now, no one is able to come to terms because they both came here just to celebrate grandma's birthday but… they came, they celebrated, and they both left the world, everything is vanished right in front of our eyes.' A couple who had already lost their only son in a previous aviation tragedy were on the plane, said Shri Rajrajeshwar Guruji, who leads the Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Harrow, north-west London. 'This couple had gone to India for a religious celebration – they were coming back and now this has happened,' he said. Shri Rajrajeshwar Guruji (Yui Mok/PA) 'After what has happened to their son as well – it's just terrible to think about.' A family of three from Gloucester were also on the flight, their family said. Akeel Nanabawa, Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter Sara Nanabawa were 'widely loved and deeply respected'. Ms Vorajee volunteered at a local Islamic school and was also a director of an organisation promoting understanding of the religion, an imam said. Mr Nanabawa ran a recruitment firm called Iceberg Recruitment Services which had a branch in Ahmedabad, according to the company's website. Speaking in Gloucester on Friday, Zaheera Nanabawa said her cousin Akeel was the 'glue' that held the family together. 'They were away as part of their trip to Singapore and Malaysia, before they went to India,' she said. 'This whole news is absolutely shocking and devastating for us, and it will leave a hole within our family.' Their imam, Abdullah Samad, said: 'This young family was incredibly close-knit – devoted parents and their beautiful young daughter.' The British survivor spoke of the horror of watching people 'dying in front of my eyes'. From his hospital bed on Friday, Mr Ramesh told DD News: 'I still can't believe how I survived.' The 40-year-old told the broadcaster the plane felt like it was 'stuck in the air' shortly after take-off before lights began flickering green and white, adding: 'It suddenly slammed into a building and exploded.' The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has been in contact with him to offer consular support, Downing Street said. The crash site was visited by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, with video footage showing him talking to Mr Ramesh in hospital.
Western Telegraph
14-06-2025
- General
- Western Telegraph
UK investigators arrive in India as tributes pour in for plane crash victims
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off on Thursday in what is one of the deadliest plane accidents in terms of the number of British nationals killed. It struck a medical college hostel in a residential part of Ahmedabad, killing 241 of the 242 people on board. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inspecting the scene (Narendra Modi on X/AP) At least 25 more bodies were found in the debris by recovery crews working at the site until Friday evening, officials said, and it is unclear whether they had been on the flight or on the ground. The Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad has received 270 bodies, Dr Dhaval Gameti told the Associated Press. The sole surviving passenger, British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, is still under observation for some of his injuries but is 'doing very well and will be ready to be discharged any time soon', Dr Gameti said. The UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) announced on Friday night that four of its investigators had arrived in India and have expertise in aircraft operations, engineering and recorded data. The 'release of information on the investigation rests solely with the Indian authorities', it added. The black box flight recorder was recovered from a roof near the crash site and could reveal vital clues about the cause of the accident. Hundreds of relatives have provided DNA samples to help officials identify victims' remains A radiologist from Derby who had a 'newly discovered love of fish and chips' was on the flight with his family, the city's Hindu Temple said. Dr Prateek Joshi, who worked at the Royal Derby Hospital, moved to the UK from India in 2021, a colleague said. Dr Prateek Joshi (University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust/PA) 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. '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.' Two sisters in their early 20s on their way home to London after surprising their grandmother for her birthday are also said to be among the victims. A cousin who lives in Ahmedabad said fashion designer Dhir and product manager Heer Baxi had an 'amazing aura'. 'They both had aspirations to be successful enough to roam around the world along with the parents,' Ishan Baxi said. Heer and Dhir Baxi with their grandmother (Family handout/PA) Both women knew 'what is right and what is wrong', he added. 'Right now, no one is able to come to terms because they both came here just to celebrate grandma's birthday but… they came, they celebrated, and they both left the world, everything is vanished right in front of our eyes.' A couple who had already lost their only son in a previous aviation tragedy were on the plane, said Shri Rajrajeshwar Guruji, who leads the Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Harrow, north-west London. 'This couple had gone to India for a religious celebration – they were coming back and now this has happened,' he said. Shri Rajrajeshwar Guruji (Yui Mok/PA) 'After what has happened to their son as well – it's just terrible to think about.' A family of three from Gloucester were also on the flight, their family said. Akeel Nanabawa, Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter Sara Nanabawa were 'widely loved and deeply respected'. Ms Vorajee volunteered at a local Islamic school and was also a director of an organisation promoting understanding of the religion, an imam said. Mr Nanabawa ran a recruitment firm called Iceberg Recruitment Services which had a branch in Ahmedabad, according to the company's website. Speaking in Gloucester on Friday, Zaheera Nanabawa said her cousin Akeel was the 'glue' that held the family together. 'They were away as part of their trip to Singapore and Malaysia, before they went to India,' she said. 'This whole news is absolutely shocking and devastating for us, and it will leave a hole within our family.' Their imam, Abdullah Samad, said: 'This young family was incredibly close-knit – devoted parents and their beautiful young daughter.' The British survivor spoke of the horror of watching people 'dying in front of my eyes'. From his hospital bed on Friday, Mr Ramesh told DD News: 'I still can't believe how I survived.' The 40-year-old told the broadcaster the plane felt like it was 'stuck in the air' shortly after take-off before lights began flickering green and white, adding: 'It suddenly slammed into a building and exploded.' The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has been in contact with him to offer consular support, Downing Street said. The crash site was visited by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, with video footage showing him talking to Mr Ramesh in hospital.
